


Consequence: The fall of the Decepticon Empire

by Felinafullstop



Category: Transformers: Prime, Transformers: Rescue Bots
Genre: M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-13
Updated: 2015-07-06
Packaged: 2018-04-04 05:31:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 8
Words: 26,840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4127008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Felinafullstop/pseuds/Felinafullstop
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When the deceptions have won, it's hard to imagine how you could save the Prime and the planet. When those you thought were allies have been conditioned to the point of no return what do you do? When you have devoted yourself to a cause and your spark draws you to your bonded's cause how do you stand vigilant? When asked to help, how could you ever say no?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. War's final end

**Author's Note:**

> “I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had no where else to go. My own wisdom and that of all about me seemed insufficient for that day.”   
> ― Abraham Lincoln
> 
> This is very dark for me, far darker than a lot of my tales. Forgive the weight of it. History has never spoken of revolution being easy or without it's share of scandal and crime. 
> 
> This story is nearly 11 chapters and almost complete…I am transitioning it slowly from FF.net, and will complete the tale here on AO3. Chapters will be up in the next few days.

His helm is lowered to his torso plate, optics offline, as he's dragged back to the rancid holding cell. The smell of the bad energon on the ground is enough to churn a tank; at least it would, if his tanks had any fuel to churn at this point. His feet drag behind him, because he won't help them by walking back, he won't add to this. His mouth is a thin line of contempt, and he struggles to keep this optics shielded from any on looking optics.

There's a pause in their movement as the doors they have come to open. He's shuffled in farther before another door is open, and he's thrust inside. There's a searing pain as the compliance collar around his neck activates, his servos clamp around the device but it weakens him and he merely drops to the floor. "We'll have more questions for you two later." The Decepticon sneers as he closes the cell with a bang. The Con locks the cell and leaves with his compatriot out the main brig doorway.

The Decepticon Brig is deceptively large for it's lay out, and all cells are empty save for one. It holds two occupants; the third in command of the Autobots, Jazz, who lies on the floor holding his compliance collar. The other, Optimus Prime himself, who sits in the shadows quietly.

Optimus scooted forward as far as best he could, his leg struts were both shattered. Jazz had removed the damaged parts and they lay in a pile. "Jazz." He murmured moving slowly toward the spy as he began to lift himself up. He drug himself along by his arms, their red and blue paint scratched and marred.

"Don't move boss." He said slowly. "Yer legs can't take all that movin'." The Porsche insisted waving a hand so Optimus would remain. "I'll come ta you in just a minute." The spy shook his helm, the sound of stringy metal sounding with each shake. Looking to Optimus in the corner her frowned and pushed up moving slowly to the Prime's side.

Optimus hand reached up as Jazz came to him. "Your antenna." Optimus frowned as his hands came forward to touch the dangling pieces, which hung loosely from the sports car's helm.

"Yeah, I know." Jazz shrugged it off and smiled at Optimus trying to remain optimistic about their current situation. "Please, don't worry about them."

Optimus frowned and looked up. "Who this time?" he asked softly taking his hand back as Jazz curled up beside him against the wall.

"Soundwave, I've never been taken to anyone else." He shook his head. "Can't keep him out." Jazz sighed and looked over Prime's legs.

"Have you seen Prowl?" Optimus asked with a soft tone. His hand touched the silver mech's helm.

"Nope." Jazz helped the Prime sit up better against the wall. "Megs didn't come for you while I was gone did he?" Jazz asked concerned laced in his voice. "You're so damaged I can't tell anymore." He sighed as if that bothered him more than he was letting on.

"No, he hasn't seen me in days, thank Primus…" Optimus frowned, it was for the best he thought, every time he had been taken to the war lord another strut would be broken, another piece of armor torn from his shell, and more tares in his valve than he was emotionally ready to accept.

"That's good." Jazz said with a forced smile petting the Prime's helm, giving him a once over in the dim light. "I'll do what I can for you boss you know that. I'm just happy they let us be here together. It's nice to have someone to talk to, even if everything is recorded."

"Thank you Jazz I –" The main brig door-opening cut off Optimus, who hadn't finished his reply to Jazz, instead he shrunk back against the wall and remained silent. The open door cast a glaring light on the two prisoners. Two figures entered into the dim light but kept a polite distance from the bars.

"Ah I see now what you mean." Starscream. The seeker moved forward and looked down at Optimus. "I'll see what I can do for them, but it won't be much." He nodded. "I'll see if Triage will do it, not many of the other medics will touch them."

The other mech merely nodded to the seeker from the shadows. "Prowler?" Jazz asked and moved to the front of the cell, his hands rose up and grasped onto the metal bars. "Is that you?"

The other mech said nothing and touched the seeker. "I'll take care of it." Starscream said softly as if speaking through a bond. "Go on." He motioned to the door and the other mech exited in the shadow, but Jazz could see the elevated door wings. He knew, in his spark, that this was Prowl, bonded to the seeker, the second in command of the Decepticons.

"I'll send a medical team for you Prime." Starscream said slowly as he turned to an energon dispenser. "It won't be pretty, nor will it be perfect, but I believe my consort is correct, Megatron would want you on your feet." He gathered up two cubes and turned. "And you." He looked at Jazz, "Will be seen to as well."

"Why?" Jazz spat moving back from the bars as the seeker approached them.

"Because…" Starscream set the cubes down in front of the cell and pushed them into the cell between the bars. "Soundwave will want you in one piece." He murmured almost sorry. "Excuse me."

Optimus turned his helm away and sighed as the seeker stood, and moved away. Soon they heard the sound of the outer brig door closing and locking. Jazz looked at the cubes and frowned. "It's half congealed bossbot." Jazz said lifting up one of the cubes and dipping his finger in. To a human it would look like stirred up Jell-o; rotten to say the least.

Optimus' head turned toward his third in command and reached out for the second cube. Jazz placed it in the leader's hand and frowned. "We gonna ingest it?" Jazz asked almost dreading the answer.

Optimus nodded and slowly began to drink the thick substance as best he could; fighting to swallow, and keep down, the awful substance. His tanks would forgive him later; at least he hoped.

* * *

"Slave programming?" Prowl muttered. "Why would you need to use such things? The war is won. Cybertron is ours. The prisoners are yours, with no real threat of rescue from anyone. I doubt either has the strength to retaliate."

"You question me?" Megatron growled from his chair pointing an angry finger in the cruiser's direction. "You are here because I indulge Starscream his affection for you."

Prowl bowed, lower than deemed respectable, but he bowed hoping that it's depth would appease the dark lord and let Megatron know of his submission. "Of course not my Lord I do not question your orders. I, however, I merely seek out your logic in the matter." Prowl asked with the same sort of stoicism he had always had as he rose up to standing.

"So that they will not have to remain in the brig, and yet will be under some sort of control." The Decepticon leader growled coldly leaning back. "So Orion will not have to leave my quarter because I cannot be there."

"My lord, Starscream and I have dispatched a Medic to patch them up." Prowl responded; he caught the fierce gaze as Megatron threatened to explode; so Prowl kept speaking. "If you wish them to roam freely …Orion will need to be able to walk." He said doing his best not to call the prisoner Optimus or Prime. "His legs are shattered my lord he's on the verge of the well of all sparks."

"Soundwave?" Megatron turned his head to the dark figure who stepped from the shadows. "Your Opinion?"

"Opinion: Slave coding acceptable. Opinion: Repairs Necessary." He moved with fluidity, as he crossed into the light. "Query: Jazz to remain in Soundwave's custody." The query came as a statement.

"Of course I would not rob you of your prize Soundwave." Megatron smiled brightly. "Perhaps we'll catch another and Shockwave can have an Autobot pet as well." He laughed turning to Prowl boring his gaze into the cruiser. "Present company withheld." he said bitterly.

Prowl gave a curt nod acting as if it was nothing at all. "Of course Lord Megatron." He shifted his stance and gave a cold smile. "Should one named Wheeljack be caught I would like him for my own." He gave a slow grin.

Megatron nodded. "Of course I am certain you and Starscream would enjoy him." He smirked. "Your deviousness knows no bounds Prowl." He gave a slow nod. "I am proud of the Decepticon you've become, and of how you affect Starscream; his own behavior has changed drastically for the better."

"Thank you my lord. I live to serve you, and endeavor to always be in your merciful favor." The grin faded. "When shall we begin?" He asked turning to Soundwave.

"Answer: Immediately with Lord Megatron's approval; once repairs are finished." Soundwave turned his head to face the silver mech.

"Granted!" Megatron said enthusiastically.

Prowl and Soundwave both bowed and exited the room together.

Once the doors had shut behind them Prowl turned to Soundwave. "I will have them moved to Medical for repairs, do you require any assistance with the slave coding?"

"Answer: Negative."

"Very well than I shall see you in two solar cycles; once their repairs are complete we'll begin." He said and turned on a heel cap and moved down the hallway.

* * *

Jazz's optics lit with the sound of the main door. Two rolling berths were wheeled in. "Ah well ya look like scrap ya do." The Scottish accent was thick. For a moment it reminded Jazz of Leadfoot, but it was too tenor in tone, absolutely too chipper a voice.

"Who the slag are you?" Jazz asked shifting up from his position next to Optimus. Putting himself between the damaged Prime and the bars of the holding cell.

"Ah language youngling, mah name is Triage." He smiled as he stepped within the cell's dark walls. "Ah yes Phryme ya be in very deplorable shape." He motioned a vehicon forward. "Bring in the berths." He said kneeling down to look Optimus over closer. "Prime on the first berth, Jazz on the other." He said with a smile before pressing up.

Jazz frowned at him. "Awful happy for a con don't cha think?" He jabbed softly.

"Ah there's no reason to be angry at us hatchling, we're just doing our jobs." He nodded to one of his other workers; the worker moved to unclip the straps on the berth to allow the Autobots to lay on them. "We'll git ya all banged out. Good as new in a few of those earth days." Triage smiled as Jazz was placed on a berth and strapped down. "Careful with the Prime he's got the worst of it, an don't ferget the leg struts." He pointed into the cell. "Need em to fashion new ones." He looked back. "And his interface panel grab that as well; seems to have fallen off." He grabbed a large white tarp and opened it placing Optimus' body parts on top of his torso and putting the tarp over the whole of him.

Optimus nodded his thanks, not only for the deception's assistance, but for his discretion as well. He noted the age of Triage, he looked very old, and familiar. "The compliance collars will stay unfortunately, General Prowl said that they needn't be removed for your repairs." He shook his head. "though wire feeds will be a might bit interesting."

"General?" Jazz looked up. "Prowl; He's a general?"

"Yes and Consort to General Commander Starscream." Triage moved up to Jazz and helped him to a berth. He ran a hand over the mech's helm. "Do they hurt?"

Jazz didn't move or answer from the berth. His helm turned to Optimus. "Ya can speak ta me mechling." The older medic said softly. "Cant fix anything if'n I don't know what's ail'n ya."

"Yeah Soundwave pulled em out." He murmured. "Can you just remove them?" Jazz asked. "I won't need them here anyhow." He sounded defeated.

"I'll ask Soundwave…yer under his perview." He smiled down at the white mech his hands gentle; he looked across the spy's berth to the other. "Is the Phryme secured?" The way in which he said Prime made Jazz cringe slightly back arching off the hard berth. Marginally. The Vehicons nodded at Triage. "Good lets get them to medical."

* * *

"Repairs?" Starscream paced at the end of the berth.

Prowl looked up from his datapad. He sat on the berth his back against the headboard. One foot hooked over the other casually. "Are not completed yet, they will be ready for coding tomorrow." Prowl retunred his nose to his book.

"Triage is insufferable." Starscream growled.

"He is the best medic that's left of our Race." Prowl said codly. "As you know both Hook and Ratchet are dead."

"Yes." Starscream sighed and came around the berth crawling down beside the cruiser. "What are you reading?" He asked.

"You do not care what I'm reading." Prowl said coldly.

Starscream grabbed the data-pad and tossed it across the room; as Prowl turned to give angered protest but lips met his and his anger ebbed. Prowl moaned and pushed the seeker back flat on his wings. "I hate it when you get like this." He grit out.

"You love it when I get like this." Starscream reached up behind the cruiser's back and pulled on his door wings eliciting a moan. "I'm gonna make you scream."

"That's your job." Prowl smiled for the first time all night and dipped down meeting the seeker's lips fiercely.

"Ride me." The seeker begged against his consort's lips. "Elicite the reactions you claim you can." Starscream challenged darkly.

Prowl moaned at the challenge. "Oh yes." He purred softly. "Oh I will Starscream; I will."

Starscream's spike pressurize hard behind its panel. "Oh you're just full of tricks tonight." Starscream groaned and arched up.

"You haven't the slightest idea." Prowl smirked, as he growled his engines; legs squeezing the seeker's sides.

"Oh than please General…enlighten me." Starscream smirked slyly.

"And why should I?" Prowl countered bucking his hips down against the prone seeker.

Starscream growled grabbing the cruiser tightly by the neck. "That's an order General." He nearly spat as he growled very eager and not wishing to wait.

"Yes sir." Prowl pushed him back into the berth and growled louder as he tore free the seeker's interface panel and grabbed the pressurizing spike as it fluidly formed into the cup of his palm. Prowl began to stroke as the seeker closed his optics, the hollows of the ruby recesses darkened with each stroke. "I think the Commander General approves." Prowl said with a hint of humor.

Starscream's optics onlined and he shook his helm. Grabbing Prowl by the helm he pushed him down toward the spike. "Shut up and put your lips to better use than being verbose." It was spat in anger and lust, but Prowl could feel the warmth in it, the love that they dared not speak. The secret love that had, from the beginning, always existed between them had been tender and real, and though they were outwardly bonded, the ranks would never know of the sweetness and almost serenity they shared of spark.

Despite their venomous words, they knew their room was bugged. They loved each other, and their passion was honest and true. Love flitted between them and made this situation easier to handle for them both. 

 


	2. Servitudes Graces

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “Submission is not about authority and it is not obedience; it is all about relationships of love and respect.”   
> ― Wm. Paul Young, The Shack

Prowl ran his servos over his torso, he was covered in transfluid; Starscream's transfluid. Their late night foray had gone longer than usual, and after being thoroughly spent from two bouts of interface, the two recharged immediately rather than washing up. He seemed to be regretting that decision now. Frustrated he scrubbed harder.

Prowl continued to scrub as if he could rid himself of the blasted smears, his appearance was paramount. Vanity, he knew had rubbed off from Starscream. He cursed to himself as his communications relay in the wash rack went off with a buzz. The communications relay was tied to their quarters, and was undoubtedly ringing in all the rooms. Prowl reached forward shutting off the water and clicked the switch. "This is Prowl."

"Prowl…Triage informs me that Orion and Jazz are ready for their code." Megatron waited as if Prowl should know what that meant.

"Of course my Lord I will inform Soundwave and we'll be on our way immediately. " He said calmly. "Shall you join us in say half a mega-cycle?"

"Yes I will see you in main medical…Megatron Out." The comm silenced and Prowl turned the water back on. He began to scrub harder at the solidified fluids, he had to get them off before he saw his former comrades, and before he was in Megatron's presence.

Starscream peered in. "They are ready?" He asked leaning on the washroom's entrance merely observing his lover.

"Apparently so." Prowl said offhandedly, he was focused on his hips, trying to make his chrome shine. "We must remember to wash after we interface." It was said as a reprimand if only to himself. "This is insufferable the next morning."

Starscream smirked. "I like seeing you covered in my fluids." He purred as he pressed into the room. "Give me that." He reached forward grabbing the rag. "Turn around so I can get a good look at you and get you clean before Megatron sees." Prowl only nodded as the seeker began to scrub in-between the plate seams that prowl could not see. "How long until you meet him?"

Prowl vented a frustrated sigh. "Half a mega-cycle." 

"You'll be ready." Starscream reached up grabbing the polish and turned the mech around. "Doorwings up." The cruiser complied as the seeker stole a kiss and twisted around him to polish the chrome there. 

* * *

The first thing he recalled was the bright smile of the Red and Blue mech above him. "Am…Alive?" Jazz muttered as his hand rose up into the open air before him. His vision was flickering and he wasn't quite fully aware. He had to get this managed he had to wake up. Why couldn't he get rid of the fog in his head?

"O'course ya are youngling." Triage smiled down taking Jazz's hand and placing it back on his torso. "Code Blue please get me another bit of sedative, Jazz here's got a tolerance like ah 'ave never seen." Jazz watched in a bleary haze as a small injection was put into the hanging energon bag above him. "That's it youngling …go back ta yer dreams." Not able to keep awake, Jazz's head rolled to one side as his optics darkened. "Ah poor lad." Triage looked over. "Keep the Phryme under…" He said slowly. "Don't want him damaging his fresh legs."

"Triage." The dark voice called from behind.

The medic smiled and turned to the voice. "Aye Lord Megatron it' an honor ta have ya in the medical ward." He said and raised himself up. Turning, Triage backed up between the two separated berths that held the Autobots. "Your Prisoners." he said arms stretched to either side as if placing the mechs on display. 

"Where are their insignias?" Megatron asked stepping up to Optimus running his hand over the cleared torso plate. His question was even toned, and there wasn't anger in it.

"Soundwave wanted Jazz's removed, I assumed that you as well wished for tha Autobot Leader's ta be gone as well." He bowed. "If'n you would like them returned it will take mere moments ta reattach them." Triage said calmly. 

Megatron considered quietly and shook his head. "It is not necessary…. What about their glyphs?" He asked. "The ones I ordered?"

Triage walked up and turned Optimus' helm showing ownership Glyphs to Megatron along the back of the repaired finials. "They're behind their helms. Acid Engraved all the way down to the proto form as commanded." Triage said and moved over to Jazz turning his as well showing owner ship to Soundwave.

"Excellent." The war Lord nodded. "Once I know their coding is in place and secured I will complete the arrangements." He smiled softly turning to Triage. "For your loyalty in doing this Triage when no other would…I give you the title general, and you will be in control of Stanix. It was too be Hooks, but with his untimely demise…" He smiled.

Triage showed no emotion as his head bowed again. "My lord I am honored." He was drawn to the doors as they whisked open. Prowl and Soundwave walked in slowly and remained just at the door's opening. "Ah Soundwave, Prowl…. shall we begin?"

Prowl moved forward. "Of course my Lord Megatron." He motioned Soundwave forward. "Soundwave …if you please." He said and walked up checking the medical computer read outs of Jazz and Optimus, respectively.

Soundwave snuck forward quietly, his fluidity transferred from his feet to his tendrils as they snaked out to both of the prone Autobot bodies. The first came to the top of Jazz snaking slowly, tenderly before pressing between plates in his helm to affix to his main processor.

The second moved with the same care but not the softness, as it limped up the sturdy body of the prime and implanted in his helm.

Prowl watched and spoke softly. "Soundwave are we ready?"

"Answer: Acknowledged." He gave a motion. "Order: Proceed with download."

"Soundwave will be facilitating the download destinations of the code files." Prowl Explained. "I'm downloading the code to the body he's merely telling it where to go." Prowl pressed a few buttons. "Slave Code Virus starting…. Initiating download to Jazz." He turned to the next console. "Initiating Download to Orion Pax." He murmured. "Downloads in progress." Prowl pointed to Megatron. "My lord you must be the first and only thing Orion Sees, please go to his side."

Megatron took a deep vent and made his way to the right side of the berth, opposite Soundwave and Prowl who worked between the berths. Prowl turned and face the silver mask of Soundwave. "Soundwave we will disengage you from Orion Pax so that his code may lock to Megatron and then we will proceed to lock you to Jazz, it will do no good to Jazz if you are still facilitating Orion's file storage at the same time."

Soundwave nodded. "Statement: Understood." His head turned to Optimus after a beat. "Statement: Download complete." His tendrils drew back from Optimus and he moved to Jazz's side.

Megatron loomed over the prone Autobot Leader and smirked. "Online him." He said with a dark tone. "I want to see the look in his optics."

Prowl motioned a hand. "Triage." He ordered.

Triage came forward behind him and hit a few buttons on the energon pump. "Two nano-clicks he should wake." After the sedative neutralizer had been administered, Triage pulled the energon line's free and disconnected Optimus from the medical equipment.

"Jazz next." Prowl said coldly, and Triage moved around to the other berth.

Optimus groaned and his body moved. "Talk to him." Triage said to Megatron from Jazz's side. "Draw him out, he needs to hear and see you."

Megatron looked around as if concerned he was being watched. "Orion." He purred. "Wake…wake for your new Master." He actually smiled, and Prowl caught it in the periphery of his vision. Part of him was slightly mortified at the sadistic tone of it, and part of it was endearing.

Optimus' optics flickered online and he reached for his helm. Prowl nodded at Megatron and pointed to Optimus. "I Megatron am your new Master you will submit to my order, my rule, and my will."

Optimus gasped slowly as his HUD flashed purple, and than red, his body began a shut down sequence and started to quake.

"What's happening?" Megatron bellowed, grabbing Optimus' arms to keep him on the berth.

"That's normal my Lord." Prowl rushed over. "Triage, monitor his vitals." He ordered. "The command line has taken firmly, he's rebooting into your loyal slave."

Megatron put his hands on the smaller mech's shoulders to hold the clattering mech to the berth. "It's old code my lord it make take some time." Triage interjected.

"How long?" Megatron asked furiously.

"A few Cycles is all." Triage injected Optimus with a lighter sedative "This should calm 'is body." Triage said and put an absent servo against Megatron to move him back slightly. "Just placing a sensor my lord so we can ensure he doesn't glitch." He bowed as he put a wireless monitor against Optimus' compliance collar. Triage stepped back slowly moving to the other berth. Megatron broke his gaze with Optimus' body and looked to Jazz whose body shook violently as well. Soundwave straddled him on the berth holding him down with the whole of his own body.

"Ugh." Optimus' was rousing beneath him, and it drew the Warlord back to his own prize. "Megatron?" He looked up and shook his helm.  _Why did I feel so numb?_ He continued to ask himelf.

"Yes my pet." Megatron nodded. "Easy, you're not allowed to damage yourself…only I am." He shifted the other mech to sit up. "We have to test you." He sneered.

"Yes Master." He touched his mouth. Had he meant to say it? "Test?" Optimus groaned looking around slowly, but his helm was snapped back to stare at Megatron. "What sort…of test?"

"Stand." Megatron ordered stepping back."

"My lord his legs." Triage warned turning he came around to Megatron's side. "He will need support those are fresh struts he really should not even be walking yet."

"He can hold the berth." Megatron snapped not wishing to be told what to do. His desire was well at the fore of his mind. "I want him standing"

"As you wish my Lord." Triage smiled. "Allow me to help him ta his servos then I will gladly step aside."

Megatron fumed but nodded. "Orion you will obey Triage." He said with a point to the blue and red medic.

"Yes my Lord." Optimus said but his optics were pools of great shock, he could not believe to his own personal sensors that he'd uttered the statement. Triage moved slowly and helped the Prime turn and step off the berth.

Triage nodded once he appeared stable. "Keep hold of the berth incase your struts give out." He sighed and stepped back as Optimus' hand came down on the side of the Medical berth.

"Look at me." Megatron spoke softly. Optimus' optics pitched up to him. "Ah that's wonderful." Megatron laughed and walked up to Optimus. "Who do you belong to?"

"You my lord." Optimus said much to his own sparks mortification. He had not even thought the statement. It just came out.

"Who do you answer to?"

"Lord Megatron and Lord Triage." Optimus said slowly looking from one mech to the other. "As ordered." He hated his voice now, as it seemed willed without consent. 

"I resend the order of obeying Triage." Megatron said. "Who do you answer to?"

"You, Lord Megatron, and you alone." He droned much to the Warlord's delight.

"EXCELLENT!" He howled. "Traige take him to my quarters." He pointed at Optimus. "When you get there you will rest." Megatron ordered. "You will need your strength." He ordered.

Optimus nodded and looked to Triage who came to his side.

"Yes my Lord." Optimus bowed. "As ordered." He said softly. Megatron took his hand and waited. Optimus lowered his head and kissed the knuckles before rising up, reestablishing his hold on Triage.

"Dismissed Triage get him to my berth."

"As ordered Lord Megatron." Triage said and helped Optimus walk away slowly. Megatron turned, he hadn't been keeping track of Jazz and Soundwave, but the Autobot spy nodded slowly to whatever his communications officer had said. Megatron walked over slowly as Code Blue attached a medical sensor node to the compliance collar, before bowing to Megatron and stepping away.

"Did his coding hold?" Megatron asked.

"Answer: Affirmative." Soundwave Droned. "Command: Jazz to personal quarters deck two section three." Soundwave turned his head. "Order: Jazz to lead. Soundwave to  follow."

Jazz nodded. "Understood Master." He said stoically his program betraying him. His optics pitched around and his spark wrenched he was not willing these words; they were willing themselves to his fore. He looked around, his operating system was being overridden and he was struggling. Even as his thoughts raced, he took the first step to the door. Soundwave bowed curtly to Megatron and left with his own slave charge.

Megatron turned to the opposite door. "Megatron to Starscream status report."

"Supplies are being moved to your palace in Iocon…anything that is surplus will be moved to your compound in Kaon." He reported. "Things are well in hand."

"I am going to my quarters to ensure Orion is where he should be, and then I shall return to the command center. You have command until I return."

"Of course my Lord." He said calmly. Megatron cut the commlink and turned down another hallway.

* * *

Jazz thought his processor was going into a meltdown flux. He stood in the doorway of Soundwave's personal quarters. The room was spotless, utterly clean, if not small looking based on a makeshift wall that had been erected in the middle. "Cozy." He muttered.

Soundwave's helm turned to him and the stare bore holes in him. He pointed to a chair near the spy. Jazz blinked. "You want me to sit?" The nod that came was the only thing he needed, he moved to the seat.

As he sat he saw them come out from under the various pieces of furniture. Rumble and Frenzy crawled out from under a small bench seat. Ravage from the desk. Lazerbeak melted off of Soundwave's frame and moved to perch on the back of the chair Jazz sat in.

The last crawled off a high shelf looking down it glided down into Jazz's lap. "Statement: Youngest, Ratbat." Soundwave turned to focus on a data-pad on the desk.

"Your children? These are your hatchlings?" Jazz murmured as he held his hands back; Ratbat rubbed against his armor but he didn't touch him. The communications officer nodded and reached up pulling off his mask.

"All young save Lazerbeak." Soundwave's soft voice replied.

"You talk…" Jazz murmured as the fact hit him in a wave of shock. "Oh Primus…Like full on sentences and slag." He put his servo over his mouth

The Decepticon didn't appear amused. "Speech yes." Soundwave turned. "Rumble Frenzy energon for all."

"Yes sir." Rumble replied and grabbed his twin's hand moving into the next room.

"You hurt me. Attacked me." Jazz murmured coldly. "Tortured me." Jazz pointed a finger at the Decepticon. Ratbat tried to rub against Jazz again but was pushed away. Jazz didn't hurt him only discouraged the action.

"Under orders." Soundwave said softly coming forward to lift up Ratbat into his arms. "Soundwave isn't violent." He touched Jazz's helm but he flinched away. Soundawve fisted his hand and sighed lowering his arm.

"I don't believe you." Jazz spoke with shakes in his vocals.

"Don't have to." Soundwave said softly. "That's not part of it." He said calmly and lowered Ratbat to the floor near Lazerbeak.

"What is?" Jazz asked. "What is the arrangement?"

"Call Soundwave: Soundwave." Soundwave grabbed a chair pulling it to sit before the sports car. He took a breath as though his next words were rehersed. "You are not to harm Soundwave…" He paused "...me." He murmured as if speaking about himself in that personage was foreign. "or my children, or yourself; that is an order. You are free in these quarters to do as you please, as long as it does not conflict the first order. Outside of here you answer to my commands and my commands alone is that clear?" He blinked and shook his helm it was too much to talk like that, but he knew for the coding it had to be said as such. But speaking so many words really hurt his internal processing. It slowed him down almost 35% and he couldn't bear that loss of logic and processing power.

Jazz nodded. "Yes Soundwave." He shook his head. "I feel sick." He muttered.

Soundwave frowned slightly. He turned to Rumble and Frenzy as they appeared with a tray of cubes.

Rumble pushed a cube into Jazz's shaking servo. "Soon Crystal City." He said slowly taking a sip of the cube Frenzy had passed to him.

Jazz nodded. "They gave you Crystal City?"

"Megatron." Soundwave turned his head holding on to his helm with his hand. "Lord High General of Crystal City. Jazz: Consort Lord High General. Correction: Title with no power." Soundwave said slowly.

"You can't expect me to love you." Jazz said coldly.

Soundwave shook his head. "Statement: Appearance only." He nodded and looked at the wall. He clutched his helm as he held his cube.

"you look like you're about to collapse." Jazz said coldly, that wasn't concern just a fact.

Soundwave nodded. "Fact: Soundwave is a listener. If speaking one cannot listen." Jazz nodded, and it was good information, when he was talking, he couldn't focus on reading others heads. He would use that to his advantage.

"So those questions I never…gave you any answers."

Soundwave shrugged sitting back. "Soundwave: has answsers."

"But…." Jazz was confused and it waked off him terribly. He looked down as Ravage crawled into his lap.

"Understand: Soundwave is pacifist." He said slowly turning his head. "Soundwave: Saved your life."

Jazz snorted. "Sorry if'n I don't believe you quite right away." His words were dry.

"Statement: Jazz not required to believe." Soundwave nodded and smirked as if it was humorous before taking a sip of his energon. Soundwave gave a pause as if something else had come to his mind. "Addendum: You also may not harm anyone here by invitation." He said softly. "You're not to engage Megatron at all." He said calmly.

"I understand Soundwave, but what's come of Optimus?" Jazz asked softly as if all that drabble didn't matter. He cared about finding out what happened to Optimus.

"Optimus: cannot be saved from fate." Soundwave muttered softly with the shake of his helm.

"You choose not to!" Jazz spat.

Pointing a finger at Jazz, Soundwave scooted forward a bit in his chair. "Optimus belongs to Megatron!" Silence over took them after Soundwave had spat the other mech's fate. Soundwave's head pitched to the door. That had been loud, and there was concern a passing mech or vehicon could be around. "Jazz: Should be grateful to be online."

Jazz pet the feline in his lap and looked up again not responding; he hadn't been ordered to be grateful, only that he should feel it. "Prowl is he coded like us, Optimus and myself?"

"Prowl: Not slave." Soundwave smirked.

Jazz absorbed the information. "Thank you." He muttered.

There was a long pause as Soundwave sat back. "You're welcome." He smiled. That statement caught Jazz off-guard; the smile more so.  _Why's he gotta be so attractive?_  Soundwave's brow rose looking at Jazz. Jazz's gaze immediately hit the floor.

Rumble and Frenzy appeared in the doorway with a tray full of cubes, as they walked into the room to their creator and his new prize.

* * *

Optimus lay on the wide berth, which Triage had left him. He outwardly shook; it was all he could do. His optics were sticky with energon but he didn't dare let it leak from his optics.

Taking a deep vent he tried to still his raging spark, this was all happening too quickly; and while the repairs meant he wasn't in a world of hurt, it also meant he was at a loss. The loss of his will alone was enough to cause him distress. He's always told his troops.  _Till all are one._  He never knew how true that statement was, weather they had won or lost. Primus he'd never considered losing. It had never been an option in his mind, and now he wished he had a contingency plan.

His body was slipping into recharge. He new it was because it was what Megatron had ordered. He only wished that in his Dreams, in his deep recharge fluxes, Megatron would be missing. That way, he'd have some sort of freedom that the reality of this new world lacked.

 


	3. New Fate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “Fate is like a strange, unpopular restaurant filled with odd little waiters who bring you things you never asked for and don't always like.”   
> ― Lemony Snicket

"Get up." Megatron said softly walking into the room, he pulled a few data-pads from a compartment on his arm and set them on a table, giving the Autobot time to rouse and stand.

Optimus' optics fluttered online and he sat up moving off the berth he stood. "Do you like your captivity?" Megatron asked coming around to his front. When Optimus did not appear to answer he smirked. "and please Orion be honest."

"No Master." Optimus said calmly as he stood looking down at the floor. "I do not." He said retaining at least his conviction in the truth of the statement.

"Well that is regrettable." Megatron nodded as he looked off to a corner of the room. "You will learn to appreciate your station in life." Megatron said calmly. "If you had only surrendered earlier, than this unfortunate turn of events would not have been."

"I never surrendered." Optimus said softly trying his damnedest to believe the hard fact.

Megatron chuckled as he came close to Optimus. "Ah but in the end you did." He smiled softly "You have always bent. It was only a matter of time until you broke. Open your torso plate."

Optimus nodded as Megatron put his hands against Optimus' shoulders and watched as plates moved showing the glowing spark. "A beautiful strong spark." Megatron smiled. "Our hatchlings will be very strong." Megatron nodded. "Our heir will rule Cybertron in my stead."

Optimus nodded. "If that is your command." He droned. Fear and dread entered him, he didn't want to give a hatchling to Megatron, but he no longer had a choice in the matter.

"Don't act so sad…your very hatchling will be ruling over Cybertron. I will even allow you to watch him grow, and spend time with him." Megatron nodded confidently. Optimus sighed, as awful as it was to be forced to bear the warlord young, the best thing was the hope to raise it. He assumed it was the closest thing to freedom he'd ever get. "He shall need two parents after all, and the Prime heritage will be of use to him when he inherits the Matrix." Megatron looked down into the open torso. "Is this it?" He smiled down at the object.

"Yes Master." Optimus said with his optics closed.

"Release the Matrix of leadership to me." Megatron commanded.

Optimus shook his head. "The Matrix chooses it's housing… it cannot forcibly removed by any means." He opened his optics sadly looking into the warlord's optics with a silent pleading.

Megatron growled and backhanded him across the helm. Optimus turned slightly but kept on his feet. "I will remove it myself." Megatron reached into Optimus' torso plate to put his hand around the device feeling it's warmth. He sneered and with as much force as he could he attempted to wrench it free.

Power built up within Optimus, and it lashed out. Megatron was pushed back and tossed ground as if he weighed nothing. Optimus gasped and it sealed is torso shut. "it cannot be forcibly removed Meagtron. I explained that." Optimus repeated.

Megatron glowered from the floor. "I order you!"

"It is not part of me, I merely carry it, and you cannot order me to remove it." Optimus said calmly. "Because only it can remove itself. You may hold dominion over me Master; yet you hold no dominion over the great Matrix."

"I still have you in my power." Megatron rose to his feet an angry glare set into his face like stone. "And you would do well not to forget it." Megatron walked forward as if letting the Matrix issue go entirely. His face melted into a devious smile. Optimus pitched his helm away, but the clawed hand of the warlord brought it back to face him. "You will submit your body to my whims."

"Yes Master." Optimus nodded as Megatron pressed their torso plates together.

"Kiss me…and mean it." Megatron commanded grasping him. "We start making our heir now."

Optimus kissed him and grasped onto his helm fiercely and Megatron purred. Optimus continued his assault on the outside, but on the inside his spark was breaking. It was almost too much to bear, and he didn't stop the coolant that leaked from under his optics.

* * *

Prowl smirked at the body that lay across his examining table.

Optimus groaned softly as he came online. "Welcome back to the realm of the online." Prowl's chipper voice said softly.

"Where…" Optimus didn't get to ask.

"Medical bay two." Prowl appeared above him. "Our Lord gave you quite the work out, Triage left not too long ago after fixing a few fresh dents." He smiled though it seemed to be just a façade. "I have a few questions."

Optimus looked up as if he'd seen a ghost. "We thought you were offline."

Prowl nodded. "Oh I'm fully aware… I was right under your feet as you crossed the battlefield calling my name…. stepped on me twice as I recall." Prowl shrugged and turned grabbing another data-pad looking at computers that were offering readouts. 

Optimus looked down at his torso. He was hooked to scanners. "We looked for days." He murmured. "We scanned every body."

"Ah but you did not find me and so every body was not scanned well enough." Prowl shook his head. "Starscream found me." He tipped his head. "It was for the best in any case." He said genuinely. He didn't appear hurt. Though his tone seemed to sting when he spoke to the prime. 

"You love him…" It almost made the Prime smile to say it but he didn't. His helm rested back on the berth. "You really do … don't you?"

"He saved me, body and spark. I do love him." Prime didn't doubt the cruiser's conviction in that moment. Prowl was truly lost to the Autobots. "So explain to me what happened with Lord Megatron and the Matrix." He asked calmly as if getting back to the business at hand.

Optimus turned his helm away. "He tried to forcibly remove it, the Matrix retaliated."

"You have no control over the Matrix?" Prowl asked.

"You know that I do not." Optimus spoke kindly.

Prowl made a soft humming sound and came around. "I am just being comprehensive in my questioning." He nodded. "I doubt he'll try it again." Prowl said softly. "He has you and thus he has the Matrix…" Prowl murmured. "It does not behoove him to be shocked at every attempt."

"Do you agree with our enslavement?" Optimus asked.

Prowl looked at him coldly, before reaching up to hit the communications relay. "Lord Megatron I am finished with my scans of Orion Pax."

"Can he hear me?" The warlord asked.

"Yes my Lord." Prowl waited.

"Orion Pax, Prowl will escort you back to my quarters, you will wait there until my return."

"Yes Master." Optimus said quietly and shifted up on the berth to stand.

"Good, Prowl get him to my quarters…. Megatron out." The communication line went dead.

* * *

Soundwave held the door and waited as Jazz stepped into the room. Once inside Soundwave followed and pointed to the single berth along the wall. Jazz nodded. "Orders: Stay in berth, Soundwave will call upon Jazz after recharge."

"Yes Soundwave." Jazz sat on the little berth and saw the three little berths on the floor on the opposite wall. There was also a long bar running over them.

Soundwave watched as rumble and frenzy entered into their own berths. Ravage jumped onto his and turned a slow circle before lying down.

Soundwave lifted Ratbat to the bar and hooked him upside down. Turning slightly he tapped his chest. Lazerbeak separated herself and floated up to the bar above her hanging brother and put her little helm under her wing. "Order: Hatchlings recharge."

"Night." Rumble murmured and closed his optics.

Soundwave looked around the room before nodding his approval and leaving letting the door close behind him.

Jazz sighed and looked over all the hatchlings. He turned his body to the wall pulling up his legs to wrap his arms around his knee joints. He vented softly as if trying to think of how this all went wrong. There wasn't a lot he could do, he wanted to leave this room, escape but he couldn't find the will to actually get that thought to happen. It was the code, and he knew it. Spark deep and ingrained. His hand trailed up to the back of his helm and touched the holes there, where the glyph of Soundwave's name had been acid burned onto him. 

Something nudged his leg and he was drawn from his thoughts. Looking down he met red optics. "Go back ta bed kitty…. I don't have... ugh…" He stated in a whisper, but it didn't sway Ravage, who crawled up into the berth between Jazz and the wall and rolled up. Jazz sighed and smiled down he could not be angry for the doings of the young bot's creator. "Fine but tomorrow you go to your own berth." Jazz insisted. Ravage's head rose up and bumped Jazz's helm. "Yeah… yeah, flattery'll get you everywhere." He sighed dryly and tried to keep the resentment out of his vocals.

Jazz rolled slightly toward the feline and slipped a hand around the black feline's middle holding him to his torso as he pillowed his helm under his own arm. Jazz sighed and closed his optics. He needed to recharge he knew it.

* * *

Optimus shuttered his optics tightly and groaned quietly as he could as he shifted up more to the top of the berth. He shifted uncomfortably and sighed. Prowl had returned him to the room, and Megatron had followed, and interfaced with him again. There was however no outward damage this time.

Megatron was in the wash racks, and for the reprieve Optimus was grateful. His valve ached but Megatron hadn't torn it. He sighed; it was just rough interface, and he could handle it if that's all that would happen. He hoped that would be all anyway. He kept still, but his helm rolled when he heard things. 

"Make sure that you are waiting at the central spaceport for us." Megatron said out loud to someone on a private channel. He shifted and turned holding a data-pad in his hands. "You will be escorting Orion back to the Palace where he will remain."

"Yes Master." The voice was familiar to Optimus but he just could not place it. "Will there be anything else my Lord?" He couldn't see the mech's face on the datapad at all.

"Yes, I want him cleaned and polished." He sounded pleased. "And you will prepare Optimus as he will join us tonight. He will need to know the rules of the compound by that time."

"Excellent my lord." The voice replied calmly. "I shall have your chambers ready. Once he arrives I will ensure he understands the rules."

"See that you do… Megatron out." Megatron cut the communications relay dropping the data-pad to the table beside the berth. "My first Autobot salve will be meeting us at the gates…to the wash rack…clean yourself up." He said calmly. "We have something to discuss when you are done."

Optimus gave a slow nod and shifted up. He turned off the berth away from Megatron. Optimus tried to stand but his legs were like mush. "Can you not rise?" it was a question spoken at such even tone it caught Optimus off guard

"It is difficult on fresh struts…. I ache Master." Optimus admitted softly.

Megatron hummed softly and came around the berth. "In this room and only when we are alone you may refer to me as Megatron, or Lord Megatron."

"Yes Megatron." Optimus shifted trying once again to stand.

Megatron took his arm and helped him rise up. Once Optimus was standing, Megatron looked him over. "Go clean up." He said stepping back disengaging his hold, and pointed to the wash rack. 

Optimus ambled over slowly as he made his way to the large room. He looked around and smiled slightly. He'd never wash away the shame, but at least he could pretend, if for a few minutes.

He sighed as he leaned on the wall and started the hydro sprayer. Once it had been flowing for a few minutes he reached in his hand and smiled for the first time, genuinely, in a long time. Shame it was over a simple thing like a washing station.

Stepping into the spray the Semi smiled softly as he just stood there in it.

Megatron stood back just watching him, Optimus knew he was close, and he didn't much care, he was going to enjoy this. Megatron would have to order him not to.

Megatron gave him a few more moments of his attention and turned away to his energon dispensary. "High grade….two jars." He said and glanced backward; Optimus would need it to process the next bout of information, and hopefully their relationship could change slightly.

While Megatron enjoyed having the power over the Prime, their interface was cold and one sided, despite orders for Optimus to enjoy it. To create an heir their would have to both be receptive to the idea. Megatron like Optimus would have to bend should he want this to work.

* * *

"How do you think he'll take it?" Starscream asked leaning on the console next to the cruiser. The seeker loved his gossip.

"They were interface partners once." Prowl murmured. "Can't say how he'll feel about it. I don't know if they loved one another or not. I'm sure it'll be clearer when they get a good look at one another at Megatron's Iocon Palace." Prowl wasn't one for gossip so he merely gave the seeker information to shut him up. They both knew it.

Starscream smirked. "Ah well we'll have a whole city of our own to deal with." He smiled as though the thought had just come. "Though I wished we could have had he Hydrax plateau." He murmured softly his fingers tracing slow circles on the consol.

"You just wished to have control of the Spaceport, and you know Lord Megatron won't let you near there. Keep asking for it and they'll start calling you Halogen. He tried to annex the plateau and it's space port so many times it became a running gag." Prowl shook his head with a smile that broached on laughter at his bonded's frustration.

"Shockwave." Starscream murmured disgusted. "He gave it to a grounder."

"Ah we aren't all bad." Prowl continued to sift through information.

"You at least have winglets." Starscream said touching Prowl's door-wings.

"I am still a grounder." Prowl countered and fluttered his wings to get the seeker to stop. The touching was distracting him and he needed the seeker to quit.

"So what happened with Megatron today exactly?" Starscream asked pulling his hand free. "I heard this rumor but I wasn't able to confirm."

"Well while you were on patrol flight, he tried to force the Matrix out of Optimus." Prowl looked up and touched Starscream's torso plate. "Gave him a jolt."

Starscream smirked. "I would pay good credits to see that." He rolled around in his chair and looked up at the ceiling. "Did he land on his aft?"

Prowl smiled and held up a small crystal disc off the desk. "Already got a copy from Soundwave, see for yourself." He smirked. "But if you're caught with this…"

Starscream took the jewel in his hands optics wide, and marveled. "I know I know you disavow me and our bond." He nodded waving an absent hand already distracted. "Gotcha….Oh I love this stuff."

Prowl continued to write his report even as he smiled, and tried to ignore Starscream next to him feeding the gem into the read out. Prowl would never admit it but the jolt Megatron had received had made him smile, after he'd gotten over the initial shock of actually seeing it the first time.

Prowl attempted to write the rest of his report but Starscream's unruly laughter kept causing him to pause.

* * *

It was only a few hours before the Nemesis reached Cybertron and upon its arrival the crew began to get excited. Senior staff members of the Mobile Decepticon army moved to smaller craft to be ferried out to their respective providences. Triage and some of the medical staff prepared to head to Stanix in the far of the cargo bay.

Prowl and Starscream appeared in the cargo bay. Making their last minute checks to ensure the Nemesis was empty save for it's skeleton maintenance crew. Prowl motioned a few groups to disembark and began to sign off on transport reciepts.

Soundwave stood in the corner with several small boxes that he instructed to be loaded to his vessel. Jazz stood behind him holding the hand of Rumble and holding Frenzy in his arms. Ravage sat at his feet. Lazerbeak and Ratbat were connected to Soundwave at the chest and shoulders. Soundwave motioned the group onto the transport and waited. 

Prowl watched the scene with mild interest Jazz was cleaned up and in better shape than when he'd last seen him.  "Will you be needing a shuttle transport?" The drone drew Prowl out of his thoughts. "Lord Prowl?" He questioned.

Prowl was about to answer when his consort broke into the conversation. "No he will not." Starscream smirked. "He has personal transportation. Make sure you have our possessions transported to our palace." Starscream took the cruiser's hand a moment.

"Right away Lord General Starscream." The vehicon answered and turned away.

"Come I have something for you." The seeker seemed so pleased with himself almost excited.

"For me?" Prowl asked slightly suspicious of the raptor's tone. "You." He intoned skeptically. "Have something for me?" 

"Yes I worked very hard for it so…humor an old Jet." He smiled and extended his hand. Prowl didn't move. "Humor an old jet who loves you." The seeker purred and Prowl relented to his desires. "Transform I'll carry you down."

"Fine." Prowl said and willed himself to transform. 

Jazz watched Prowl transform with envy. The cruiser sat, an earth police cruiser in the decepticon cargo bay. Starscream transformed and hovered close over the vehicle. Starscream lowered a set of straps that snaked around the cruiser and lifted him up. The jet, wasting no time once the cruiser was secured, barreled out the cargo bay door. Turning circles in the air and making his way for their providence: Praxus.

"Orders: Understood?" Soundwave asked turning to him to make sure he was listening.

"Yes sir." He nodded. "I will remain with these three during transport ta Crystal City in the hold."

Soundwave nodded slowly and put a hand on Jazz's shoulder and pointed to the first cargo ship. "Order: take hatchlings onboard."

"Yes sir." Jazz nodded. "Come on…" he said down to rumble.

"Will you tell us more about Six lasers?" Frenzy asked once safely away from their sire.

"Will you take us?" Rumble sounded excited as he jumped up and down on the ground.

"We'll see what your Sire thinks…" He turned slightly, nervously, and tried to speed the hatchlings along. "Come on Ravage." He sighed and moved for the ship. This wasn't the best scenario, but he was living with it, and it could be worse, he'd seen Optimus earlier in the morning as he and Megatron had been the first off the ship. If anything could look more withdrawn, it was his leader, and Jazz wished he could save him from his fate.

Ravage skirted away from him but Jazz reached out, releasing Rumble's hand, for only a moment, grabbing the feline's tail and pulled him back. "No." Jazz said "If I misplace ya….yer Sire will be most displeased." He released the feline. "Go ta the transport…as your Sire ordered." He reached back taking up Rumble's hand again. "Please."

Ravage whined and lowered his head and tail marching ahead of the captive Autobot who was now partly his keeper. "Sorry kid, orders is orders." He stepped up to the transport. "Four …with Lord Soundwave for transport ta Crystal City." He spoke softly as a technician pushed his helm to the side with force and scanned his collar. He groaned slightly but didn't retaliate.

"Careful!" Frenzy smacked the guard's hand.

"Yeah he belongs to our Sire." Rumble piped up. "You don't want him mad, he's Soundwave!"

"Yeah Soundwave!" Frenzy spoke up in the spy's arms.

"Hush younglin's inta the transport." Jazz said softly as if to stop any confrontation. "Please don't start problems…not taday….not ova me."

"All right…but just cause we like you." Frenzy blinked turning his head to the Autobot.

Jazz smiled as he found a place to sit; placing Frenzy next to Rumble in two seats he strapped them in. He sat himself down and as soon as he did he reached down pulling Ravage into his lap. "Thanks…ya ain't so bad yerselves." Jazz smiled, because in all honesty they weren't. The only one he'd seen in combat was Laserbeak and she stayed with Soundwave at all times. Soundwave had kept his other charges away from the war, they didn't understand. "So what did you do?" Rumble's voice broke him out of his thoughts.

"What ya mean lil' sparkplug?" Jazz asked stiffening as Soundwave approached checking the restraints on both Rumble and Frenzy before clipping a restraining lead to Ravage's back and handing it to Jazz.

Soundwave moved to the forward cabin leaving them alone. "We mean…what did you do to get in trouble?" Frenzy reached up to touch the collar around the spy's neck tapping it.

Jazz placed the hatchling's hand back in his own lap. "Ah …If I'm around when yer a bit older I'll explain it." He tried to smile. "But fer now just shut yer optics. Yer Sire said this is gonna be a mega-cycle long trip." He leaned back putting his arm over the tops of both their seats. "Rest." 

"Kay." Rumble turned to Frenzy and the twins curled into a ball against one another to sit quietly. Jazz's other hand pet the warm plates of Ravage's back quietly as he awaited the long trips completion.

 


	4. Slave to mind...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter highly DEVIATES from the original on Fanfiction.net. These changes had to be made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "No slave is a slave to the same lengths, and in so full a sense of the word, as a wife is."
> 
> John Stuart Mill

Jazz looked around and gaped. "Whoa!" Rumble voiced from Jazz's arms. It summed up acutely the feeling they were all having about their surroundings. A building, that glittered like a star, which was a monument to Cybertronian design and achievement. It was way too big for two mechs and five hatchlings.

Ratbat let out a high pitched squawk from Soundwave's shoulder. The telepath pet the small thing quietly, to calm it down. Soundwave's attention turned to the smaller Autobot beside him. Helm pitching to the side he took in the mech and turned coming forward. It was as though he wanted to speak. 

"Ah Lord General Soundwave." A mech smiled brightly making out of the front doors interrupting anything that may have happened between them. "All your arrangements are complete."

 _Who in Primus' name is this?_ Jazz wondered softly his optics turning now to the sliver and purple mech.

"Designation: Forerunner." Soundwave said as if answering the silent question in the spy's mind. Jazz paused trying not to let on how invasive that read felt. To his credit, Soundwave placed a reassuring hand on Jazz's shoulder plate. It calmed the spy though he would never outwardly admit it. "House Drone."

"Well not quite, I'm a vehicon with a higher mode of functionality, though I am still considered a drone." He smiled as he corrected brightly. "You must be Lord Consort General Jazz." He motioned his hand toward the palace. "Please I will give you the grand tour." He offered quietly. 

Soundwave waited as Jazz stepped forward with rumble still in his arms. Soundwave shifted as Ratbat moved to his other shoulder getting more comfortable.

Soundwave motioned Ravage between them and knelt down a moment to scoop Frenzy into his arms. "Are we staying here?" Frenzy asked. "Sire?"

Soundwave gave a curt nod and put a finger to the smallest twin's mouth, sending a ping for silence, as he followed Jazz and Forerunner into the building.

* * *

Ironhide shifted uncomfortably. He sighed and tried to keep his helm clear. This was going to be interesting, to say the least. He was nervous. Primus why was he so nervous? Prime seeing him as a slave made him uneasy, or was it just Prime in general making him feel; unstable.

The weapon's specialist drew up an arm to shield his optics from the dust that was drawn up by the transport's thrusters. Once the ship had landed, and the thrusters were turned off, he lowered his arm waiting. 

Megatron, his master stepped out slowly taking in a deep vent. "AH IOCON! It's a lovely sight!" He sounded like he was in a good mood; at least Ironhide hoped he was. That would ensure things went well; or, as well as they could go. 

Ironhide tread forward slowly making his way under the slowing blade of the helo-transport. Megatron smiled at him disarming him slightly. "Our guest." Megatron announced holding his hand back. From the shadow a dark blue palm emerged and grasped onto the clawed hand of Megatron. Optimus took a few moments to process the red mech before him. For all his remembrance Ironhide had never looked so; stoic. 

"Ah you remember him." Megatron purred and turned his attention on the other Autobot. "Good." His attention turned to Ironhide fully. "The Arrangements?"

"Complete my Lord." Ironhide bowed low. Optimus' optics gazed over the red mech slowly, he had a black compliance collar around his neck just like his own, and one of his optics appeared to be dimmer by half of his other. "The cleaners await both you and Orion." He said slowly. "I have the ground transport ready to facilitate our travel." 

"Have you been polished?" Megatron asked of Ironhide as he turned taking stock of Optimus' condition. His frame, riddled with silver streaks and scratches. 

"No my Lord." Ironhide bowed. "You did not order it." He said as he rose back to look at the warlord. 

Megatron smirked and released Orion's hand as he stepped down. "Well when you take him to get his wax… I want all those scuffs filled in." Megatron looked Ironhide over slowly. "Get yourself polished as well." Megatron's hand rose, and Optimus looked on, as Ironhide's helm turned into the outstretched hand. "It is good to see you."

"Welcome home." Ironhide lowered his helm as the long silver fingers went over his head. It was affectionate, from both sides. Optimus didn't remember Ironhide being that good an actor. 

"Please lets do something about that Optic." Megatron frowned lifting the red mech's helm and examining the dimmer right optic he smiled. "It gets worse every stellar-cycle" Optimus was taken aback by such concerns. "There has to be something we can do to fix it."

"My lord if that is your wish." Ironhide nodded. "I will look into diagnostics and repairs and get you a quote."

Megatron released him and stepped out looking him over again. "and I don't like this red…Something more neutral please…greyscale of some sort…No white." Megatron gave a smile. 

"My Lord you can choose…You will be accompanying us to the facilities." Ironhide asked coming around to Megatron's side as the warlord turned.

"No." Megatron's answer made Ironhide blink, he was slightly taken aback. "I will meet you at the palace. I give you the choice of color." He motioned to Optimus. "Go with Ironhide and do as he says." He ordered to Optimus. "Learn from him."

"Yes Megatron." Optimus nodded.

"You're both dismissed." Megatron turned to the flight crew. "I want everything unloaded now!" He began to bark orders to the vehicons on the tarmac. "It needs to be in my palace by tonight."

Ironhide motioned the Prime Forward to the small ground transport that awaited them. "Come on before he changes his mind." Ironhide said low as they began to depart. 

Optimus sighed. "When did he capture you?" Optimus asked. "I don't recall seeing your name on the MIA or POW sheets I got from Jazz before the war was lost." 

"I was taken down by part of his insecticon swarm." Ironhide said with a sigh. As if he'd explained himself a thousand times before. "Almost offlined me." He opened the door to the ground transport and motioned Optimus inside. "I asked them to kill me…." Ironhide moved in behind Optimus and closed the door. "This was what they did." He pulled at his dark collar as if shifting his neck slightly. He reached behind himself tapping the glass. "Energon Baths." He said and the transport began to move.

"Has he?" Optimus blinked almost gaping at the red mech.

"Oh we've done just about it all close to bonding." Ironhide looked down. "But I'm not a carrier…I could never give him an heir." He explained. "He thinks you can." He looked out. "I'm so sorry about all this Optimus…when I heard you and Jazz had been taken…" He shook his head. "I had hoped it had been a lie, mis-information." He said calmly. "But in my spark when Megatron told me, I knew it was true."

Optimus reached out and touched Ironhide's arm but was jolted back. "What the-" He shook his hand as if to work out the jolt. It had hurt considerably. 

"Proximity alarm." Ironhide murmured. "We're not allowed to be close to one another." He said slowly.

Optimus rubbed his wrist. "But why?" The idea of such a thing escaped the Prime. "What logic is there in this?" 

"So we don't procreate, so we don't try to remove one another's compliance collar... take your pick. They were Shockwave's idea to illicit compliance." Ironhide sighed and looked away out the window. "Megatron will remove it tonight….not the collar but he security protocols" He shrugged. "We'll both have to please him tonight….and sometimes that means us pleasing each other for him."

"I'm so sorry." Optimus shook his helm sealing his optics. His hand rose to pinch the bridge between his optics and he tried to will away the dread he was feeling. 

Ironhide smirked and shook his head. "Kid you've got nothing to be sorry for. This is not your fault, so get rid of that obnoxious guilt you're housing." The older mech leaned back hooking his ankle joint over his knee and waited as they traveled to their final destination: the energon baths.

Optimus lowered his helm, getting rid of the guilt was going to be very hard. "Where was Jazz taken?" He asked quietly.

"Heard he was with the telepath…. that puts him in Crystal City." Ironhide explained. "Soundwave will be lenient I'm sure. Jazz will most likely just be a house slave." 

Optimus only nodded and became quiet. What he was going to do was beyond him at the moment. He had to find a way to get both himself and Ironhide out of this mess, and a way to get to Jazz. 

* * *

Starscream put his hands on his hips. "I said seal your optics." He sighed. "It isn't that hard." the seeker shook his head irritated. 

Prowl shook his head. "Why!"

Starscream turned his helm. "I wish you'd just trust me. I go out of my way and all you want to do is interrogate me." He muttered. "It's a surprise." Starscream sighed. "Please just humor me." The seeker waited holding onto the cruiser's hands gently.  Releasing Starscream turned to peer into the doorway across. 

Prowl gave him a sideways glance and shook his helm. "I cannot believe I am doing this." He sighed and closed his optics and held out his hands. "Make it fast." Prowl shook his head. 

"Slow down hot wheels." Starscream smiled and took the hand. He smiled down at the smaller mech and leaned down giving the cruiser a quiet kiss.

"Was that it?" Prowl smiled softly optics still closed. He felt love from the seeker; joy and excitement bubbled in his field. "Is it energon sweets?" 

"No." Starscream smirked leading the blind mech into the next room. "Though I should get some now that we're planet side." he made a mental note to have some delivered to Prowl's berth side. 

Prowl felt himself moving, the forward motion stopping just into the next room as he waited. "What did you do?" He asked seriously. "If you changed anything in our palace. I had it the way I wished i to be."

Starscream's voice was calm and serious. "I moved mountains and Sky." Starscream smiled. "Open your optics."

Prowl opened his Optics slowly and saw two mechs in the room facing the other direction. "Gentlmechs." Starscream spoke drawing the two from their conversation. 

"I hope this isn't a bad joke Starscream." Prowl murmured as the mechs turned. "Barricade?" The black and white enforcer stared down a blue and white police cruiser, next to a red fire rescue vehicle. 

"Negative: I am not our sibling." The cruiser before him spoke stoicly.

"CHASE!" Prowl smiled softly and ran up to the other police cruiser. "I thought your rescue team were on earth?"

"We were." The me beside spoke up. "But when Optimus was captured Starscream pinned us down." He motioned a hand. "He recognized Chase, I guess because you're bonded to Starscream." The truck spoke. "But he gave Chase a choice, and in involved myself coming along."

"And you are?" Prowl glared at the larger mech.

"Ah Prowl forgive me this is Heatwave, he is my consort." Chase said in an even tone.

"Consort…as in bonded?" Prowl blinked.

"Unfortunately not…. Chase won't do it without a ceremony." Heatwave looked flustered. "Which circumstances being what they are, we cannot have."

"It is not legal unless it is done here on Cybertron in either the council chambers or in the main citadel of Primus." Chase said sternly. "I will not be denied this legal standing."

"You're a rule monger." Heatwave murmured but Starscream noted the smile on his faceplates. Heatwave was more jovial than Chase, who tended to drone. He was glad Prowl's droning wasn't so pronounced and it could ebb in to laughter. "Thanks for doing this Starscream." The firetruck turned to address him drawing him out of his thoughts of Prowl. 

"You're welcome." The seeker stated calmly. 

"Where are you staying?" Prowl continued. 

"Here with you." Chase said calmly. "Starscream has stated travel for autobots, even former rescue members is very dangerous." 

Starscream nodded. "Indeed." He waved a hand. "Lets get you to your chambers to settle in, and we'll talk more this evening." 

* * *

"And this is the room for the hatchlings." Forerunner entered the room looking around. He smiled and looked down as Ravage moved to one of the small berths. Berths for the little ones were delivered this morning." He said in a chipper tone and moved to the small closet opening it revealing toys.

"Is there a bar for the flyers?" Jazz asked hesitantly, it felt strange taking the lead in something like this. "Laserbeak will need to stand, and Ratbat to hang." 

Forerunner looked to Soundwave who nodded. "No, but I can have one installed before this evening." He turned back to them and gave a curt bow. "Will that be acceptable my lord?" He smiled to Soundwave who once again nodded. 

"Oh look!" Rumble climbed down out of Jazz's arms and opened one of the small compartments. "Look there's a vid screen too!" Rumble ran to the closet to examine the toy complement and  pulled out some puzzle games. "A puzzle program Frenzy come on!" Frenzy released Jazz's hand and walked over slowly to meet his brother. 

"Order: Hatchings to stay." Soundwave turned. "Request: Jazz to follow." Laserbeak dis engaged from her sire floating over to a berth to sit on the foot of it. Ratbat jumped down as well gliding away to sit on the vid screen. 

"They're gonna be okay right?" Jazz asked as he came over to the center of the room. Laserbeak nipped out at him. Jazz pulled is hand free and Soundwave stepped up to her and glared down. She lowered her head and looked away. 

Soundwave nodded and tapped his own helm letting Jazz know he had her under control. He made a motion for the door, and Jazz exited out the room before him. 

Forerunner moved past them to the room across the hall. "Quarters for both my Lord Ship's." He said pressing the door control. 

"Soundwave?" Jazz asked as Soundwave moved forward opening the doors. Jazz was confused. 

"His instructions were for a room for himself and his consort." Forerunner explained as he moved from one large glass window to the next pulling back the thick window plates that kept the light out. The room was twice the size of the hatchling's room and had large tapered windows to both sides of the berth. The room was accented with Black and gold side tables along with a view screen. 

With the plates gone it bathed the room in warm light. There were two doors on each side of this berth room. "Forerunner: Dismissed." Soundwave pointed at Forerunner. "Watch Hatchlings."

"Yes Sir." Forerunner bowed and corrected. "Sirs."

Jazz watched as Forerunner returned to the doors of the room sealing it shut. He had left them alone. 

"Speak mind." Soundwave's voice broke his dread and circling thoughts. 

"Why, when you can just read it?" Jazz uttered coldly and then looked down at his hands. He regretted the venom in the words. "I am sorry." He said fearing reprimand, but also because he felt it needed to be said. He felt like a puppet. 

Soundwave's shoulders rose and fell silently, and Jazz read the body language as a sigh. Soundwave stepped up and touched his arm and pointed to a door at the far left of the berth. Jazz's optics pitched up and met the glass mask and shook his head. "What?" he questioned. 

"Statement: Go to the Door." Soundwave encouraged. 

Jazz moved slowly, Soundwave behind him as he stopped at the door filling once again with dread. His hand slid out and he pressed the door latch key. The door, sliding open with a hiss, fell into a pocket in the wall and he stepped inside. A full berth, a full wash rack, a desk with communications console, and a small audio box. A room that was his. It was within Soundwave's own quarters. 

"Statement: Personal quarters." Soundwave's voice broke into his thoughts. 

"Personal?" He turned. "Just for me?" He blinked looking back "But I thought you'd make me share with you..."

Soundwave didn't answer his statement. Jazz sighed softly giving an accepting nod as he moved to the Audio box. "What is this thing?" he said pressing a button on the top. The top of the box slid up and it was the screen. 

"Statement: Audio box." Soundwave murmured coming forward and pressing a second button. "Human music, Cybertronian music." He said softly. "remix box." He pointed to other controls. "Statement: want you happy." He said calmly and placed a hand on the spy's shoulder and then pat gently before sliding away and moving into his own room letting the pocket door fall closed behind him.

Jazz blinked as he fell into the silence. He looked around and just marveled at the room; even before the war he never had such accommodations. The music box was most definitely a plus, and not something he felt he should have. He pressed the button on it once more and watched it close upon itself; powering down.

The door buzzed and he jolted. He turned to the main door and put a hand to his torso. "Enter." He didn't know why it scared him so. 

The door slid back and Forerunner entered with a tray and a cube. "Lord Soundwave wished me to deliver to you your energon for the evening. Are your accommodations acceptable?" He said in a chipper tone.

Jazz tried to keep himself calm. "Everything is fine, ya know, just fine." he nodded uncomfortable still in this space, even though it was his own.

"Is there anything else I can do for you my Lord?" Forerunner set the small cube down and then looked at him holding the empty tray in his arm. 

"Just call me Jazz..." Jazz sighed and fumbled around the words a moment. "Can I ask ya something?"

"I am at my Lord's disposals; you can ask me anything." Forerunner folded the tray under his arm and folded his hands across his front waiting patiently.

"What's wrong with Soundwave?" Jazz asked. "Is he glitched?" He touched his own helm. "he doesn't speak right."

"Soundwave isn't glitched." Forerunner spoke soundly the cheer gone from his voice as he relayed the facts. "He's damaged perhaps but not glitched." The aid continued. 

"What's wrong with him?" Jazz turned to Forerunner and motioned him to the seat. "I mean is it something …someone did ta him?"

"Someone…Lots of someone's." Forerunner shrugged as he sat looking up at the former Autobot from a chair next to the audio box. 

"Elaborate." Jazz demanded. "Why doesn't he talk when he can perfectly well do so? I have heard him speak a normal sentence, granted it was slagging frightening ta hear but I heard it." Jazz's hand swept over his own visor. "He removed the mask and he spoke. I saw his face, he spoke to me." 

"As have I my Lord, it's hard for Lord Soundwave." Forerunner tipped his head a moment. "He is an open mind." Forerunner held up a hand so he could continue before Jazz could speak. "Everything, that everyone processes in their minds goes through him. Not only that but everything everyone says, every radio broadcast, everything that goes through any channel funnels through him." Forerunner explained. "He can not shut it out, and he cannot shut it off. He draws in every thought, and every word." He said calmly. "He's so busy in his own mind that talk is almost difficult, it's hard enough to walk without trouble for him." Forerunner explained. "He is so busy processing everything that is coming through that focus is hard. He spends time just sitting silently to process.

Jazz shook his head. "He does communicate with tha little ones."

"Yes he does, on an internal hud program, they talk to him and he sends commands to their huds." Forerunner smiled. "Or answers in nods and shakes of his helm. He does prioritize them to his fore, he always has. Their channels are always open to him."

"All right, now what did you mean by lots o' someones doing things ta him?" Jazz slid down to sit on the edge of the plush berth. "What …what's happened to him?"

"His hatchlings call him Sire." He smiled but it was almost programed. "Though he is not their sire." Forerunner said calmly.

"What do you mean he's not?" Jazz turned his helm slightly but kept his optics on the servant. "Wait if he's not-"

"He is their creator." Forerunner continued cutting the spy off. "Each has a different sire. Laserbeak belongs to Megatron, though he does not acknowledge her; as she is female and a mini-con." Jazz put a servo over his mouth in shock. His hand lowered as he listened to the rest. "Rumble and Frenzy are twins born of Shockwave. Ravage is from Barricade." He said.

"And the youngest? Ratbat?" Jazz breathed the question out as a gasp.

"Dreadwing." Forerunner smiled, but it seemed a sad sort of admission. "Unfortunately."

"How do you know all'a this stuff?" Jazz shook his head.

"When Lord Soundwave became a general I was given to him as a liaison and aide. " He smiled. "I've been with him since Laserbeak's berth." He smiled. "I was sent ahead to prepare the palace for his arrival and yours. He wanted you to meet me here, off the Nemeis. So that we could speak like this."

Jazz had to stew on the information a moment. "Those poor hatchlings." He muttered. "Soundwave." He shook his head, why was he feeling empathy for the telepath. He couldn't imagine anything like that happening in the Autobot ranks.

"They do not know the truth." Forerunner said softly. "Please do not muddy that for them...That is Soundwave's request. They are happy." He said calmly.

"I would never hurt those hatchlings, they haven't done anything ta me. They aren't, weren't part of the war." He shrugged. "This is a lot to take in." He murmured. "So Soundwave is listening in?"

"He is Always listening." Forerunner said matter of factly. "As for the hatchlings; they think, and know in their sparks that Soundwave is their sire…"

"I won't say nothing ta the contrary." Jazz affirmed. "So…he doesn't want ta hurt me does he?" Getting that past was the easy part, drawing answers to his current questions might take a bit more time.

"I do not believe so, he's not a violent mech really, and he loves his family." He nodded. "He is glad the war is over." He shrugged, "However his mind is very full, and it's hard for him to find peace in such a storm." Forerunner explained. "You were given to him. He did not refuse because if he had you would have been killed." he shrugged. "Megatron had also insisted. An Autobot on his arm would make their hierarchy look more appealing to those renegades who were still out there somewhere."

"And you don't just refuse Megatron do you?" Forerunner shook his helm in answer. Jazz nodded as he absorbed it. "Before he was a general what did Soundwave do then?"

"He wasn't much different than you are now. At Megatron's side, reading minds for him, being used." Forerunner stood and gave Jazz's collar a tap. "Collar and all." He murmured. "Will there be anything else my Lord Jazz?"

"No; thank you Forerunner." Jazz said softly. "You've really opened mah optics up. If you'll excuse me I need ta think on this for the night."

"Of course." Forerunner left out the same door he entered in through allowing the door to close behind him. 

Jazz stood and picked up his cube and moved to the berth sitting down on the end of it. This was a lot to process and it changed a lot in his mind. How could this happen? He wanted to ask Soundwave himself but decided the morning would be better for it.

He took a sip of the energon and coughed slightly licking his lips. "Hmmm high grade." He actually smiled and took another drink. "I am so okay with this." He said as he scooted back on his very nice berth and looked blankly at his feet, there was so much to process.

So much to understand, and this information changed everything...

 


	5. Forged: Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I am breaking the previous Chapter Forged into 2 parts. This is part one rewritten to be so more cohesive, enjoy Forged part 2 will be posted tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In order to create there must be a dynamic force, and what force is more potent than love?-  
> Igor Stravinsky

His mind was racing. "It's going to be okay." Ironhide said softly as the lift rose to Megatron's private quarters, converted from the old council chambers in Iocon. "Optimus look at me."

Optimus turned to Ironhide and tried to calm his spark. His mind was racing away from him. "If he wants a show just… let me make love to you like we use to." The now black mech muttered softly. "Think of me …only me…no matter what he does." The black mech turned to face him. "I know how to make you moan and draw it out of you. I can make sure he doesn't hurt you."

"How does that-"

"How does it solve anything?" Ironhide asked forwardly as if he'd heard this question before from somemech else. "You won't know he's there and he'll get what he wants and we'll be okay." Ironhide nodded fervently. We have to do as he asks. "If he wants us both to please him, you just follow my lead." He sighed I know what he likes. "I've been doing this a lot longer than you have." Ironhide said coldly and almost forlornly.

"I'm so sorry." Optimus murmured to his friend turning to face the dark mech with a sorrowful look.

Ironhide turned to him as the doors open. "Get rid of that guilt like I told you to, you don't need it here." Ironhide demanded of him in a softened tone. The lights rose as they stepped forward. "Lord Megatron you summoned us?" He said loudly enough for the warlord, who stood 30 yards away into the massive room to hear.

The warlord turned. "Ah yes," He smiled brightly, brighter than Optimus ever remembered. "You've chosen black? That is a very daring choice I must say Ironhide." He murmured though not unkindly.

"Does it please you my Lord?" Ironhide asked coming to stand at the base of the platform where the large berth stood. "If the color is disliked I can halve it altered."

"I like it very much thank you." He said with fondness before he tilted his head. "And your Optic is much brighter."

"They did what they could." Ironhide rose up and looked at the Warlord who took his helm in his hands.

"What is the trouble with it?" Megatron stepped back and down to get a better look at the dim light. Optimus could not believe how casual the chatter seemed between them. It was almost strut chilling.

"Retinal cable…it's going bad…I'll be blind in the optic soon." He shrugged gently. "But it will get a few more solars of use before I will need it removed."

Megatron nodded and touched the mechs face thumbing his digit over the wounded optic. "I will see to it you get a proper patch over." Megatron smiled at him. "Can't have you looking damaged." He said calmly petting over the side of Ironhide's face.

Optimus' disbelief turned to horror as Ironhide seemed to purr into the warlord's touch. This couldn't be right, this had to be some sort of bad dream. He couldn't be watching this. His tanks began to churn.

"Is something on your mind Orion?" Megatron touched his arm and drew him closer. Optimus moved forward and looked at Ironhide.

"I'm just adjusting Megatron." He said softly it was a truth, if vague.

"He will get the hang of it." Ironhide said softly in his defense. "I have spoken to him about being nervous."

"He'd better get the hang of it." That was a threat right to Ironhide and Optimus felt a chill in his back-strut. Ironhide grabbed his arm and drew him away from Megatron to the incline that lead to the berth.

"How may we please you my Lord?" Ironhide asked in a sort of getting-down-to-business tone. "We are happy to endulge."

"Surprise me." Megatron smirked and pointed up the ramp and followed the two mechs to the Large berth that sat on the platform in the center of the enormous room, covered in dark drapes.

When Optimus looked up he knew where he was. This was the hall he'd given his speech to the great council, this is where he'd become a Prime, and this is where Megatron sought to take it from him. To make him an example. He looked up at the drapes and sighed.

Ironhide stepped to the edge of the berth and held open the long drapes and motioned Optimus inside. "Go." He said calmly. "To the berth."

Megatron stepped up behind him taking hold of the curtain and grabbed Ironhide by the torso plate and kissed him as he pushed them both onto the berth. Megatron atop the freshly painted warrior their kisses were fierce and their grips scraped paint. Ironhide let out a rumble and a low keening sound Optimus had heard before; undulated pleasure.

Megatron broke their kiss and leaned down beside his audio, out of Orion's sight and spoke to Ironhide who panted for breath.

Ironhide's helm turned to Optimus his gaze pierced and he nodded in understanding. "Yes my Lord…get comfortable." He smiled softly crawling out from under the warlord. "We'll take care of the rest." Megatron purred and nodded rolling off of him to sit a moment. Megatron reached across Ironhide's collar and pressed in a code with his long slender fingers.

"Optimus to me." Megatron demanded softly.

The prime came forward to Megatron's left and lowered his gaze. The warlord reached up to his neck and uncoded the lock on the collar. "There…you may feel free to engage one another." His smile was devious.

* * *

 

Three days, it had been three days since Jazz had learned the information from Forerunner. Since that time he and Soundwave had began sharing their Morning and Evening Energon together in a sort of common area, while the hatchlings played. They had daily duties, and had from time to time passed one another in the halls of their grand palace, but hadn't had much time to speak privately.

Forerunner spent many days teaching Jazz the palace and it's maps, hidden doorways, and safe rooms and also locations for energon and storage. Jazz had kept a detailed log in a data-pad Soundwave had given him. This wouldn't be so hard, and he wouldn't have to deal with many dignitaries. He had energon transports to regulate, shipments to receive, and hatchlings to care for. 

This night was no different from the past few. Lazerbeak sat with Ratbat on a perch behind Soundwave's chair while Rumble and Frenzy played a strategy game on the touch table near the floor. Ravage sat at Jazz's feet, Soundwave hadn't protested so he didn't say anything about it. The feline had snuck into his room twice already to get near him. 

Jazz leaned back in his own chair across from Soundwave and thumbed through his data-pad, he was shaking his head, the delivery schedules for the next day were going to be every cycle on the cycle and he would have to over-see it. Make sure the vehicons in the house had their tracks, and knew where each shipment was to go.  Jazz had other things on his mind like Soundwave. He just couldn't shake it. He kept, despite himself looking up to the mech across from him in question. 

Lowering the Data-pad he had decided he wasn't focused on at all he spoke. "Soundwave?" Jazz asked softly.

Soundwave turned to face him waiting for him to continue. Soundwave tried to force the sounds and incoming things from his mind. He tried to focus on Jazz, and the images came from the Spy's mind, the questions and thoughts. They had been coming to him, but until now the telepath hadn't known how strongly conflicted Jazz was about their answers.

Jazz swallowed. "Look ya know what I'm gonna say so …nevermind." He sighed and stood dropping his data pad down in his chair. "Sorry I interrupted the quiet." He mentally insisted he'd forget he'd ever spoken if Soundwave would and he'd return to his roster in the morning. He began to gather up glass cubes and collect them on a tray. 

"Statement: Understood. Order: Hatchlings to berth." Soundwave spoke unexpectedly. He too discarded his data pad and waited. 

"Awe!" Rumble whined. "We're almost done."

"Can we finish?" Frenzy plead with his sire.

"Statement: Make it quick." Soundwave nodded and looked back "Laserbeak, Ratbat…go." The two flyers flapped their wings and took off from the chair Laserbeak leading the youngest away.

Jazz looked down knowing now it could not be avoided. "You too Ravage, and your bed, not my room." He said as he reached down tapping the feline's back with the back of his hand.

The Feline looked to his sire who pointed in the direction of the Hallway where Forerunner waited for them holding the door open.

"YES!" Frenzy smiled from the table. "I win!"

"Tomorrow we're gonna play again!" Rumble said and they reached out running their hands over the flat screen pushing the virtual pieces into a virtual catch bin and then turned off the table. "night Sire…Night Jazz." they said in tandem and ran to Forerunner. The little ones grasping at each other's hands. 

"G'night." Jazz smiled as they ran off it shocked him how endearing those little sparks were. "They kinda grow on ya don't they?"

Soundwave merely nodded at them before they turned and ran away. It was an acknowledgement for the hatchlings, and all the answer Jazz would ever need for his question. Forerunner bowed from the door and escorted the hatchlings away to recharge, pulling the door closed. The two mechs stood alone in the silence. 

Soundwave waited quietly for the sports car to speak. "I um…spoke to Forerunner, and he told me a bunch of things….and I just wanted to know if it was all true?" He blinked. "I know you heard everything we said and thought." He sighed. "I know I can't keep things from you but we're here now living together and I just want the truth." He looked up. "If I can't have mah freedom, than please all I would ever ask is for the truth." Jazz said calmly. "I don't want to tip-toe around this place like a mech walking on bolts." 

Soundwave blinked slowly as if the request was strange. Looking to his feet the telepath nodded. "Statement: Forerunner spoke facts, spoke truth. Soundwave was a slave."

"Megatron?" He gaped. "He did all those things ta you?" he shook his helm "Is that what he's doing ta Optimus?"

Soundwave gave a nod. "No…" Jazz shook his helm and lied back in his chair and put his hand over his optics. "Primus." Jazz sighed letting the facts roll over him. 

As his hand drew back Soundwave was at his side touching his shoulder. "Saved you…could not save the Prime." He murmured. Reaching up he pushed his mask up on his helm. "Much as I would have tried. Megatron wanted him, and there is no keeping the master from what he wants." He said calmly.

"I know that." Jazz looked up at him. "Doesn't make me hurt any less over it." He said softly as if he was trying to compose himself. He glanced up at the mech's face; only the second time he'd ever seen it. 

Soundwave's fingers began to knead into his shoulder armor it caused Jazz to look to his own feet and just enjoy the action. "Easy." Soundwave said softly, but didn't speak anymore he didn't have to. He felt the contented groan in Jazz's mind, and heard as much as felt from the mech, that the tension was between his shoulder plates.

Soundwave brought his other hand around and began to massage the plates slowly. "What can I do to help you with all that clatter in yer mind?" Jazz uttered. "Is there even a way for me to help you?" 

Soundwave focused his mind to Jazz and found that the mech was honest and willing to do anything, and it wasn't pity. Soundwave looked away his hands still working over the back of the chair as he tried to make up his mind about what the white mech was offering. "Possibly." He gave a slight answer as his fingers kneaded, in a rhythm he was focused on in his mind. It rolled over his own shoulders and down his hands into the spy's back as he slowly explored the plates. 

"No one's ever respected ya have they?" Jazz asked not waiting for the answer to the first question. "They've only used ya." Jazz shook his head. "I'm so sorry Soundwave." He said calmly using the mech's name. "I had no idea, none of us did." 

"Jazz will not be used." Soundwave said calmly his hands paused and he considered his words. His fingers fumbled and he settled for laying them over Jazz's shoulders.

"I know that." Jazz smiled up and reached his arms, backwards, up to Soundwave and pulled him down. "I wanna quiet yer mind." He said calmly. "Is there a way? Meditation? A cure? A doctor for Primus' sake." 

Soundwave pulled back slightly but came around as he asked. "Jazz you do not know what you ask."

"Course I do." Jazz smiled and stood turning to him. "I think…" He touched Soundwave's torso. "Somewhere in there is a mech that needs ta close that mind o' his. I also think, that yer just like me." He said calmly. "You and I are both trapped." He frowned. "We're alive." He pointed to the door. "Those hatchlings are alive, and deserve more than this deception farce." 

Soundwave looked down. "I will never be an Autobot."

"Never asked ya ta be." Jazz smirked and touched his face. "But Not a Decepticon…" Jazz smirked. "I think, that would be good enough for me."

"Not a Decepticon." Soundwave nodded calmly. "Only in brand." He tapped his torso where the purple insignia lay. "Must protect the hatchlings." 

Jazz nodded. "I understand." He said calmly. "You're head must be hurting." Soundwave tilted his head in sort of an answer. "Well I'll think questions and you can nod or shake your head…" Jazz amended reaching up gently and grasped his mask sliding it back down over his face. "Alright?" 

Soundwave grasped his arm tightly. Looking left and then right. "What is it?" Jazz stood. 

"Hatchlings NOW." He ordered and pushed Jazz back a few feet. The first explosion came and rocked the palace at his core. Jazz toppled down over Soundwave who tried to shield him from the falling rubble.  The dust settled and Soundwave rolled Jazz over. "Status?"

"I'm fine." Jazz said shifting up to look around. "That was down on the first floor." A second explosion crashed to their lower left and Soundwave clutched the white mech close to shield him from the debris.

Soundwave's tendrils rolled out of his back and he pressed them out and around to push the larger pieces of metal off them and try to lever himself to stand. "Hatchlings." He repeated.

"I'll get to em." Jazz nodded. "What about you?" He asked with concern looking over the taller mech's torso. "Are you hurt?"

Soundwave grab his hands and stilled them. "The hatchlings: Evacuate."

Jazz nodded and turned pulling away from the telepath and making his way to the door. He had to hold his footing at the doorway as a third explosion rocked the building. Alarms were sounding in the corridors and vehicons were running scared. 

He met Forerunner in the hall who held Rumble and Ravage in his hands. "Laserbeak and Ratbat went out the window, the whole building it's going up I couldn't find Frenzy." He uttered in a panic.

Jazz saw the fire in the hallway. "Get them outside! NOW! I will find Frenzy." Jazz broke from Forerunner moving the opposite direction of the flow of vehicons and house slaves. 

Jazz's vents began to cough as he pushed through the hallways of the base. He frowned at the black smoke that began to surround him. He flipped down his visor and flipped to a lower scan mode. "FRENZY!" he called out scanning in multiple feeds, inferred, and then integrated thermal. "FRENZY!" He called again grasping a the wall feeling his way along the corridor to find their room. 

Finding the hatchling's room he entered slowly putting his hands on the floor he moved along slowly finding the little berth's. his hands felt over the tops of them, and he was discouraged that they were empty. "FRENZY!" He called as the flames licked at his armor. Another explosion in the building made him loose his footing. Falling between the little berths. 

He heared the choking vents of the mechling on the floor under the nearest berth. "Frenzy." He said reaching under to pull the little one free. Frenzy coughed repeatedly and choked on the smoke. "Ja-Jazz" He cried, energy pouring out his optics. Jazz nodded and pulled him to his torso. Grabbing a vent feed from his own body he trailed his fingers along the side seam of Frenzy's armor like Ratchet had taught him to make an emergency air duct by pass. He cursed but soon found the small vent patch. Pressing his own ventilation system to the hatchling he choked as his own system began to take in the thick carbon.

"Jazz!" Frenzy was breathing better but he was smacking Jazz's torso armor. "We gotta go!" The hatchling cried. 

Jazz picked up the mechling and pressed him to his torso. "I got ya." Jazz said and made his way up and back to the doorway toward the corridor. "I need ya to push the buttons on the lifts." He gasped as he staggered away from the flames trying to keep himself upright as more explosions rocked the palace of Crystal City. Fire extended over his back and he growled out in pain still clutching the Frenzy tightly.

Jazz collapsed against a wall gasping for cool venting air, but his system was choking on the carbon smoke. The sulfur coated his vents and his armor. "Door." Frenzy said and pressed some buttons on the lift door. "OPEN!" 

The lift doors opened with a stalling squeal. Jazz rolled into the open lift and collapsed down on the ground. Frenzy pulled out of his arms reaching up to smack on the lift buttons "GO DOWN!" He yelled at the device. The doors sealed and the lift began to lower though it shook and quaked with each floor it passed as it drew downward.  Frenzy moved to Jazz's helm and pushed up the visor plate like his sires. "Jazz?" He asked, but the mech was offline. "JAZZ!" Frenzy began to shake him. 

The lift landed on the bottom floor with a crash and Frenzy rebounded to Jazz's side after behind tossed backwards. "JAZZ!" He started to cry. "WAKE UP!" the doors banged hard, and another crash on the doors made Frenzy climb over Jazz to hide behind his body.

A message flashed against his hud -STAND BACK.-

Frenzy cleared his mind and held onto the tube at his side that was helping him breathe. "I'm clear." He whispered through tears. Apparently Soundwave heard because the door buckled under his tendrils that came into the elevator car and ripped the doors free. The telepath entered the room and knelt beside the body of the spy. Looking behind he touched Frenzy's face. "I'm ok." He was still crying. "He's not breathing!" Frenzy was starting to panic. "Do something sire! DO SOMETHING!" 

Soundwave turned to the door where Forerunner stood waiting. "MEDICS NOW!" He turned back to the two and tried to assess what he could. 

 


	6. Forged: Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.”   
> ― Kurt Vonnegut, Mother Night

Ironhide reved his engine as he pushed his spike deeper into the receptive valve.  Optimus' optics were locked on his to try to block out the fact they were being watched. "Scream Orion." He plead out loud knowing it was what the warlord wanted to hear. "Cry out for Lord megatron."  _For me._ He thought desperately and tried to impart that in his optics. 

Optimus felt the baritone in the mech voice and he opened for him like a flower. "Yes." Megatron said, clearly pleased, as Orion cried out optics shorting out as his helm pitched back. His back arched and he shuttered beneath the older mech. Ironhide grinned and kept moving but didn't seem as thrilled as Megatron about the situation. 

Ironhide pressed in again and again and struggled to keep himself together, but he knew the moment it was over it would be over. He continued his pace, trying to hold until he was told, it had always been like that. 'Not before I say.' Megatron had conditioned. 

Megatron purred. "Overload Ironhide." He murmured against the black mech's audio from behind, slipping pointed digits into the black mech's armor. Ironhide felt the fingers in his own valve as he pressed into Optimus. He growled when he overloaded pressing in tightly but leaning back to the warlord for approval. The fingers pressed against his thick walls and he felt his body squeezing back against them. Megatron purred from behind stroking his own spike with one hand as his other pressed into Ironhide's valve in the wake of overload. .

Ironhide craned his helm back and Megatron rewarded him with a kiss, though chaste. Megatron was about to center himself to Ironhide, but an alarm caught him off guard. Disengaging from the black mech he turned away with a growl. "I hate to be interrupted." He muttered moving back off the berth and out of the curtains.  Ironhide stole a kiss from Optimus when he could and smiled. "you did well." He whispered and turned backing off Optimus to look out the curtains, waiting for whatever would come next. It was hard to tell. 

"What happened?" Megatron demanded over the comm. "Define explosions." 

Optimus sat up and Ironhide put his hand up keeping him back on the berth. Megatron returned soon after and starred at them. His hand traced down Ironhide's helm. "I'll permit you both to stay here tonight." He murmured. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Anything I can do to help?" Ironhide offered.

"No." Megatron said. "Energon will be brought and you'll be locked within this room.

"The collars my lord?" Ironhide asked meekly. 

"I'll leave you two your whims for the night." He murmured softly. "I am sorry I will not be able to join you. I order you not to merge sparks."

"Yes my lord." The two mechs said in tandem. Within minutes Megatron was composed and cleaned and out the door leaving the two alone. 

Optimus collapsed down against the berth once he and Ironhide were alone. Ironhide laughed softly and crawled up beside him. "Missed it did ya?"

Optimus didn't answer but his helm canted this way and that. "I don't know how I should feel." 

Ironhide nodded and crawled beside him. "This is the most privacy you will ever have." He pillowed his helm under his arms. "Take advantage of it." He smirked. "There's a wash rack down the stairs to the left you can use if you need to." 

Optimus nodded as his interface panel closed over his parts and he sighed in shame. "Ironhide how do you manage to stay composed?"

"Not a matter of composure." Ironhide shrugged laying back. "Matter of what one can do and what one cannot do." 

It was enough to ponder, if even for this night. "Ironhide?" 

"Yeah?" The black mech turned to meet his gaze. 

"I missed you." Optimus said honestly. "My friend." 

Ironhide nodded. "Missed you too Prime." He pulled the other mech into his arms. "I missed you too." It wasn't a lie, per say. 

* * *

"I don't know it just happened." Prowl explained. "He found me… I was dying." He looked down at his foot as if it suddenly made more sense. "There was really nothing in my power I could do, I was lucky my spark was hanging on at all."

"Nothing like Starscream just happens." Heatwave laughed and took a sip of his energon. "Really though he just found you?"

Prowl nodded slowly. "His scanners never saw me, no one's did, that's why the Autobots never found me." He shrugged. "It was very dark that night, as Starscream tells it."

"How did the seeker do it?" Chase asked. "How did he find you?"

"Well the decepticons came to gather their dead in the darkness…pick up their few wounded who were still there in the pit. Starscream says he saw my optics. He saw them glowing in the dark." Prowl shrugged. "I really don't remember it all." He said as if he was hoping he was telling the tale right. 

Chase nodded and leaned back against Heatwave. "What then?" Heatwave asked wrapping an arm around the cruiser. The two seemed comfortable. 

"Well he tried to hack my processor with a primary line." He tipped his helm. "My spark pulse was barely making a blip on his scanner." Prowl's mouth thinned and his optics didn't move. "he tried an emergency procedure…He tried to bolster my spark with his own, while enduring a cortical psychic patch. " Prowl sighed tightly. "My spark lunged to his feeding off the energy, they intertwined, and he…" The older cruiser trailed off.

Chase blinked. "He bonded to you." He shook his head. "I have never heard of such a thing ever happening brother." 

"Well I was dying, my spark did what it had to to survive." He shrugged. "Starscream brought me back to their warship, he bargained for our lives. I gave them intel, and began working as a drone manager. I worked my way up the ranks with the intel I provided." He looked up. "Nothing very important just enough to appease Megatron."

"And you both…." Heatwave coaxed "how'd that turn out? I mean he's Starscream."

"When you are stuck with someone in a bond like I was you learn about them, learn that you are more alike than either would have liked to think….Megatron knew we had bonded, that our bond was a sign of my loyalty. We have been together since we bonded, every night, it draws us to each other." He sighed. "The love came after a long bout of denial on both our parts…but it's real, it's not ….a show." He frowned. "We were unstable locking ourselves away from each other. 

Chase smiled softly. "I believe you…I wouldn't think you would go into bonding lightly and this scenario is incredible. I am just glad it all appears to have panned out."

"I would hate to think my own sibling would disapprove-" 

"Prowl!" Starscream's voice broke the conversation. "I have been trying to reach you." He gouged, and the cruiser unlocked his side of the bond. "Soundwave's palace is under attack."

Prowl stood up. "What?" He blinked.

"They are calling in anyone with Rescue training…Megatron's on his way right now." Starscream said calmly. "We've been requested. Megatron wants you to investigate the explosions." 

Prowl looked behind him. "We'll return soon."

"Let us go with you." Heatwave demanded of Prowl.

"I cannot you're both on the Autobot lists that Megatron has." Prowl said calmly. "I cannot risk loosing you now."

Starscream nodded "You're safer here." He insisted and touched Prowl's helm. "Come I heard there are injuries." 

"Jazz?" Prowl questioned. 

"I'm not sure." Chase was startled by how understanding Starscream was about the question. "We'll just have to see when we arrive. Let us hurry." Starscream said calmly and made his way to the door. The cruiser in hot pursuit behind him. 

 


	7. Of my volition

The Palace of Crystal City was almost in ruin. The tall pillars that once shown down over the city and it's people were craning hard to one side. Constructacons of all walks of live had converged, and merged and stood to either side of the building and tried to support it as best they could as crews put out the fire and pulled debris free.

 

Megatron nodded to a few workers as they made their way back from the crystal city palace. Looking out he saw two rescue team members he wasn't familiar with, but the taller looked to know what he was doing with considerable skill. The red fire rescue vehicle barked orders to vehicons to stay back or to move debris from the smoldering building. He kept his face covered behind a mask, most likely to keep smoke from clogging his vents. He had a smaller mech assisting him, as they carried injured mechs from the bottom floor.

 

Megatron watched as the red mech pointed to Energon transfer cubes.  "Let's get that stuff away from the building it'll combust if we're not careful. We want to make sure we can contain this fire!" The Red mech ordered a few approching vehicons away with what looked like the remains of charred energon dispensers. He turned to two others and ordered for another water tank. "I need more water to the southern side of the building." He said calmly looking back at his companion to check his status.

 

Megatron watched as a water tank was brought and with care the police enforcer began to unhook the first tank and reattach the second as if he'd done it for the fire truck a million times. "You'll be out in 10 minutes." The cruiser said and moved past to help an injured mech. Who were these two? He didn't recognize them really. Though the enforcement vehicle reminded him of his second's bonded mate.

 

"We've got a spark on the roof!" A mech called out pointing above. Megatron's gaze shifted and he saw Laserbeak perched high upon the building. She jumped from side to side trying to stay out of the way of the combiner team's efforts to remove parts of the burning building. With a sigh he held up his arm and his voice boomed.

 

"LASERBEAK!" He called out. The mechs around him seemed to freeze as his voice boomed out.

 

Her head turned to the mech that summoned and she turned slowly pressing off the roof of the unstable palace she flew down to his arm. She landed and fluttered her wings at him a bit before setting and preening under her wings.

 

She squawked as he ran a hand over her helm and nodded. "To my shoulder …I'll return you to Soundwave." He murmured calmly looking back to the rescue crew that had moved on to continue their work.

 

            She moved slowly to his shoulder and then rubbed her helm against him. "Stop it." He barked at her. She sunk down against him stiff and still. Laserbeak was the only one of the hatchlings who knew the truth, that she was Megatron's. She wanted his love and care, but she would never get it. Her purple optics fluttered and she craned her neck looking around.

 

Megatron looked at her and she simply waited for her clam. "Let's find Soundwave shall we?" He asked her and she squeaked in protest, though it went ignored.

* * *

 

Starscream landed on the top of the palace of Crystal City. "This place is a disaster." Skywarp said softly. "I warped all over this place to every possible extraction point and got nada, but we were almost half a mega-cycle late to the party." He shrugged. "Anyone who could have done this would have been long gone."

"Agreed brother." Thundercracker said softly. "Is there anything else you need from us Starscream?" He turned to Starscream.

"If you and Warp can assist me in transporting the others back."

Thundercracker smiled. "Anything for our brother." He smiled broadly.

Skywarp nodded "Of course." He looked around. "Who will investigate?"

"Shockwave has been called in." Starscream nodded. "Nothing will get beyond his purview." He nodded. "He'll know who set the explosives."

Looking up Starscream thinned his optics. "Dreadwing's on the periphery." He murmured. "Odd…" He turned to Skywarp. "Spill."

The purple and black mech looked stunned. "I don't I …he …" The youngest of the trine was terrible at keeping secrets, usually if Starscream wanted information he'd hit Skywarp first.

"I am seeing him." Thundercracker murmured softly. He stepped forward and looked to the sky with a composed face.

"What do you mean seeing?" Starscream blinked at the eldest of them all, "You practically have the same paint job." He uttered.

"Well than our Hatchlings will be predictably colored." The oldest seeker stepped off the roof transforming mid fall to dance in the dark with the other raptor that played in the sky in the distance.

"His vanity knows no bounds." Starscream rolled his optics. "What is it about coming home…who are you seeing?" He bored holes into the youngest of the trine.

"No one…I swear. I'm a lone gun kind of seeker." He laughed. "Come on I'll Warp you all back."

"That will exhaust you." Starscream said softly touching his younger brother's helm.

"Got a berth I could crash on?" Warp asked calmly leaning against his Brother's arm.

Starscream nodded. "Come lets gather our charges...I'm tired." He looked around once more. "And the fires appear to be out." He sighed.

"Where will Soundwave live now?" Skywarp asked softly.

"I know not brother but until Soundwave's slave is repaired and his hatchling is also back on his feet, they won't be leaving the city. If he needs a place to go, he can always come to Praxus should he need to stay. Kaon is also close, to the west, and Megatron would never turn him away." Starscream explained.

Skywarp nodded. "I heard the slave was charred." He stated. "That the hatchling barely made it."

"Frenzy was fine, but yes the Autobot was severely burned I saw him myself.." He said calmly. "If you can warp them back to Praxus I'll be along." He said softly.

"Going to check in on Sounders? I thought you said you were tired?" Skywarp asked.

"I am tired but I think I should yes." He sighed. "Megatron is also there; as First Lieutenant I should go." He nodded. "Go ahead and take them back to my palace, Prowl will set you up with a room. I'll see you when I get back."

"What are we going to do about Thundercracker?" Skywarp blinked.

"Let him have his fun little brother." Starscream shook his head. "Warp?"

"Yeah?" He asked. 

"See those two rescue bots down there? The red and white?" He pointed to each. "I need you to warp them back to my Palace first before Prowl knows they were here." 

"Prowl didn't want them here?" He asked

"The white is his younger sibling." Starscream explained. "Get them back home the area here is stabilized..." 

* * *

 

Soundwave stood stock still in the corner, his visor moving from left to right scanning over the berths. His command overrides were keeping Frenzy under. Jazz on the other hand had been heavily sedated. Ratbat and Ravage were slotted into their respective docs on his body. Rumble stood at his feet. The little mechling's hand rested on the back of Soundwave's knee joint.  _Will they be okay?_

 _I believe so yes._ Soundwave answered Rumbles soft plea. He knew how concerned the hatchling was that his spark split twin was lying on the berth so pained. It was all Soundwave could do to manage them, one locked down, and the other grieving the ability to feel his brother. 

The doors hissed open and Starscream strode in. "Any Change?" He asked quietly. 

"No." Soundwave shook his helm. "Megatron?"

"Inbound, he has Laserbeak." Soundwave sighed. "I would say two orns." 

Rumble moved to the seeker, and Starscream leaned down lifting him up. "Hey." He smiled at the little one. "We will have your brother back on his feet in no time." He smiled, confident in his words. 

"Promise?" The little voice cracked. 

"You have my word." Starscream said seriously, and shifted Rumble over into Soundwave's arms. "I would get the little one out of here before Megatron shows up." He sighed. "Bad enough he has to escort Laserbeak back and you will have to hear about it."

Soundwave gave a slow nod, and rubbed Rumble's backstrut gently. "Soundwave: will require a secure place to stay."

"I've already seen to that, if you wish you may join Prowl and I in Stanix." he murmured. "Or we can send you to Vos with Thundercracker." 

Soundwave shook his head. "Stanix: Acceptable. Vos: too painful." 

Starscream gave Rumble a soft rub on his helm and nodded. "I'll make the arrangements." he said and extended his arms back. "Come Rumble, I'll take you to Prowl. You don't need to be around Lord Megatron." 

Rumble looked at Soundwave who nodded and let him go. "Many Thanks." He said to Starscream who took the hatchling and left the room. 

It was mere minutes before Megatron entered from the opposite doorway. "I understand she is fully grown, but you would do well to keep her docked." Megatron said firmly. 

"Statement: will do so. Order: Laserbeak to dock." Soundwave opened two small locking panels on his torso and she moved to him, transforming and docking. Soundwave ensured the lock clamps were secure and sent her a private message of disapproval. 

"Will they recover?" Megatron asked turning. Soundwave gave a nod. "Does Shockwave know?" A headshake.

"Shockwave: does not claim twins. Did not need notification." Soundwave tried to keep his voice on an evan keel. Megatron absolutely believed the creations belonged to their respective sires; all except his own. 

Megatron hummed gently. "Work crews will start rebuilding immediately, this rebellion will be silenced." he looked at Soundwave. 

"Query: Plan?" Soundwave folded his arms over his chest, easy conversation. 

"I plan to send a message to the entire planet directed at the Autobot Rebels that still exist out there, Orion Pax will order them to stand down." He muttered darkly, Soundwave's helm was tilted. "We have four of the six Autobot officers in our midst. Prowl, Orion, Ironhide, and your Jazz." He muttered. "Ratchet is dead…That means it can only be…"

"Ultra Magnus." Soundwave replied.

"Yes…yes it does. Doesn't it?" Megatron clapped him on the shoulder once before exiting out the door Starscream had gone through. He sent a warning for the seeker through Rumble. 

Soundwave scanned Meagtron's helm, he was concerned with Ironhide and Optimus, though he outwardly didn't show it. He intended on forcing Optimus to make a statement to the rebels to tell them to stand down. He was certain it would work and lead to a mass surrender.

Soundwave could only hope that it would work, if only for the sake of his family. He turned and started for the other door but the sound of foot falls made him pause. 

Triage appeared beside him near the doorway. "I've got 'im awake. He's asked for ya." He said to Soundwave. Soundwave turned scanning for Jazz's mind and found him. _Where are you?_ He was asking. The blue mech moved into the medical room. "You can sit there at his helm, keep him calm, I am still clearing his vents of the carbon." Triage said softly as he followed Soundwave and moved to the other side of the prone mech.

Jazz turned his dim optics to his left where Soundwave sat. "Oh hey." He croaked out still smiling through excruciating pain.

Soundwave put a hand over his mouth. "Statement: Do not speak." He nodded. He looked at Triage as if asking for an explanation.

"Well he's got massive clogging in 'es vents, penetrating armor burns, and he's got metal burn along 'es knees most likely from a fall. Kids pretty tore up if'n ya ask me." Triage flipped through a few scans and showed Soundwave the images. "He's got penetrating melt into 'es back strut."

"Fused?" Soundwave asked.

"Yea the upper armor 'es fused to his back strut….I'll begin the operation ta remove et as soon as we have 'es vents stabilized." He said softly. "e'll be fresh as manufactured in no time, but after I get 'em fixed up e'll need an orn of rest." He said softly.

"Affermative." Soundwave looked at Jazz who was still looking at him through a pain-bleared haze.

As Triage moved away the telepath touched the back of the Autobot's hand, and the mech grasped onto him.  _Don't let me go._ Jazz plead in his mind.

Soundwave merely shook his helm.  _The kids?_ Jazz wasn't thinking about his own damage at all just the hatchlings and mostly Frenzy.

"Safe…Fine." Soundwave uttered quietly to him.

Jazz nodded and his head rolled slightly back. His optics drooped and he got silent. "Medic." Soundwave stood looking down at Jazz.

"He's fallen inta recharge it's not stasis lock." Triage said softly. "e's fine." He smiled. "Why don't ya go back to your mini-cons, we'll take care o' 'em, and I'll call you when 'es surgery is complete." Triage gave the telepath a smile. He was being honest about everything but there was an underlying thought.  _I can work faster without you hovering over him though I suppose it's my own fault for calling you back in._ Soundwave gave a quick nod and released the Autobot's hand. He touched the charred Helm once and stepped back and away making for the door once more.

* * *

 

Wheeljack's hand smacked the first table he could get to. "Slagging!" he cursed. "It went off without a hitch what the slag happened?" he demanded pressing pass Perceptor. "Everything was timed perfectly!"

"Easy Jack." Magnus said calmly and came around the corner. "We had all thought that Jazz would break for the outside of the building, no one would have known he would have gone farther in." He muttered softly coming around the table.

"Why did he do that?" Wheeljack watched the video replay. "Ugh it will take me Orns to come up with that much explosive again." He muttered. "This was planned so well.

"The palace is destroyed…" Perceptor said calmly. "The framework that remains is structurally unsound."

"Well now it will look like the rest of the Ruins of Crystal City." Wheeljack shook his helm. "That's just …ugh." He slumped down in a chair frustration winning him over in the end.

"Has Bumblebee reported in?" Magnus asked calmly.

"Yes Sir he said that Optimus was seen in Ironhide's company headed to Kaon." He murmured. "Optimus has been collared as well."

"That means he's got slave code." Magnus shook his head. "Most likely to Megatron." He rubbed his hand over his face. "Primus." He sighed. 

"That means we have to kill Megatron to break the code." Perceptor announced slowly. "That would free both Ironhide and Optimus." He sounded chipper. "Though there is much at stake, none have been able to get close to Megatron."

"I think that we have other problems too, we need to get Jazz as well, and that means killing Soundwave." Brawn spoke up from behind his command panel. "We got our servos full." He spun around. "What's Plan B?"

"I think we need to get to Jazz while he's in the medical facility." Wheeljack said calmly still physically bristling from his failed bombing. "Its vulnerable." 

"No I think that's a mistake." Magnus turned around. "There are hundreds of cons in that area. There are also non affiliateds and Most of Megatron's senior staff. Soundwave, Starscream, and Triage." He pulled up the map on the main screen. "Due to it being a hospital." He murmured. "If we get them in route to their domicile."

"That was destroyed Magnus." Jack shook his head. "We don't know where they plan to go or how they plan to travel."

"He'll go to either Kaon, or Praxus, those are the closest metropolitan areas." He blinked. "I'm going to rule out Kaon….Soundwave won't do that I don't think. He's not one to put himself out there, and I think that if he were in Kaon it would just bring too much attention that he doesn't want." He murmured. "Get me the scouts in Praxus I want information of Prowl and Starscream's palace." He said firmly. "And put scouts in Crystal City just in case they plan to stay."

"Yes sir." Brawn turned around.

Perceptor pulled up a few images from the Crystal City bombing. "It appears that Jazz returned into the buildings central chambers for one of Soundwave's mini-cons." Percy said rewinding the tape the video screen showed Jazz falling into the elevator and Frezy beating on the buttons of the lift. 

"Why the slag would he do that?" Wheeljack shook his helm.

"He's got slave coding he may have been ordered to protect the hatchlings, in any case when the explosive went off he'd have to save them." Magnus sat at his chair around the command center table. "It was a variable we had not accounted for." He ran a frustrated hand over his helm. "Lets just keep our minds clear." He stated. "I need options people. Brawn call in Bumblebee and Roller." He ordered. "Make sure that Arcee knows to check in."

"You don't want me to call her in?" Brawn questioned.

"I don't want to fight with her." Magnus said waving his hand. "Easier just to let her have her way." He muttered and grabbed a data-pad and signed off on it. "And see if you can get me in touch with some of the Maximals over in Kalis; perhaps they would volunteer to give us a hand."

"Yes Sir." Brawn nodded.

"And make sure the channels are secured we don't need Decepticons, Vehicons, or Predicons; picking up our broadcast." Mangus looked up at the door and smiled. The mechs around him filtered away and green filled his vision.

Springer gave a soft smile and leaned against the doorway. "Long night?" He asked softly.

"You have no idea." Magnus uttered and stood moving to him. "I am about finished with briefings."

"You could always retire." The younger mech said smugly. "Move somewhere quiet and be ordered around by the one you love." 

Magnus considered the point a moment. "Just because I love you doesn't mean you get to order _me_ around." He said putting emphasis on _ME._ He laughed slightly. "You're most likely exhausted from recon. Go to berth, I'll be there shortly." He gave a smooth nod.

* * *

Jazz's optics opened and he glanced around; this wasn't the medical facility. Soundwave turned from a console at the end of the berth and stood coming to his side. He was in a very plush berth, he wasn't back in their palace, he wasn't sure what exactly it's condition was but he was pretty sure after the explosion they couldn't go back. His confusion was only deepened by the look Soundwave gave him. 

"Praxus." Soundwave answered sitting on the edge of the berth answering his thoughts. His hand trailed up over Jazz's antenna with a soft stroke. 

"With Prowler and Starscream?" He rasped out.

Soundwave gave a nod. "Speak not." He reached behind Jazz's helm and pulled him up slightly and offered him a cube of medical grade energon. "Drink." He stated.

Jazz's lips felt dry as he took a sip of the energon, it coated his throat and that in and of itself was glorious for all its horrible taste and smell. He leaned back again and Soundwave set the cube aside.

Jazz's optics closed slightly and then opened again.  _Lean down here by me I got something ta tell you._ Jazz hoped his proximity to the telepath would put his request first in the telepath's mind.

Soundwave's helm tilted slightly in confusion but he leaned down beside his helm as if he was waiting for Jazz to speak. The spy's hand caught his face and turned him. Jazz examined his face closely.  _Where's Frezy….I wanna see him. I need ta know he's okay._ Jazz pressed his helm to Soundwave's. The telepath didn't protest. 

He stayed like this for a moment but sent a silent ping out. Much to Jazz's protest he dislodged himself from the spy's arms and moved to the door opening it just in time for two little mechlings to enter.  Soundwave pointed to the berth and the two moved to the vacant side and crawled up kneeling beside Jazz who smiled at them.

Jazz put his hand up and touched Frenzy's helm. "Thank you Jazz." Frenzy murmured. "For saving me." He seemed in tact. His leg had a frame brace on it and he looked to Soundwave.  _What's that for?_

"Precautionary was damaged slightly in fall to elevator car." Soundwave said calmly. He sent orders to the twins once more that Jazz needed more rest and they should return to the common area. "Rest required." 

"Okay …get some rest and we'll see you later Jazz." Rumble smiled. "We're gonna go see Heatwave!" He jumped off the bed and turned back to help Frenzy slide down. The two ran out the door without looking back. "He tells the best stories!"

Jazz smiled. "We all accounted for?" He croaked.

Soundwave came back to his side and placed a servo over his mouth nodding frantically. "Speak not." He repeated himself.

Jazz gave a nod and was about to speak again despite what he had been told, but Prowl appeared in the doorway. "Hows he feeling?" He asked softly.

"Status: Stubborn." Soundwave uttered.

Prowl actually laughed. "That does not surprise me." He came forward. "Starscream asked for you if you're free, Megatron's going to make Prime give that announcement soon, and we might all want to be on our feet for it. Retaliation is expected." Prowl smiled as he watched Soundwave turn to Jazz, and their enclosed hands. They may not admit to what Prowl was seeing but it was something that was developing despite. "I'll watch him." He said calmly. "If that is alright with your charge." He tried to say Slave or pet, and he tried desperately not to use Jazz's name.

Soundwave pointed to the cube on the tableside with seriousness. "Yes Soundwave I'll get him to drink it." Prowl assured.

Soundwave put a hand on Prowl's shoulder and moved to the door. He paused looking back Jazz's mind was reaching out for his attention.  _I'll be alright tell ya get back. I promise not ta go anywere._ Soundwave only shook his helm and turned down the hallway. His spark sang for the first time in a long time. 

Prowl smirked. "What'd you think to him?" he laughed and sat down.

"Told him I wouldn't go anywhere." He rasped. "Not that I could try."

Prowl sat forward and checked the medical scanner on Jazz's arm. "You shouldn't be talking." Prowl uttered softly. "Levels are coming up but very slowly."

"You laugh?" Jazz smirked his voice still filled with crackles. "That's new...." He pointed out.

"Comes with being bonded to Starscream I suppose." He seemed to close up on Jazz. Jazz stared at him as if in question. "I do love him if that's what you're asking." Prowl shifted up and adjusted some of the electrical feeds on Jazz's chassis. "You've got manual scrubbers still in your vents." He pointed to a machine. "That's your ventilator at the moment." Jazz looked at the items Prowl pointed to.

Jazz touched his arm. "Sorry." He murmured remorseful.

"I'm not mad at anyone." He said calmly, dismissing the apology. "Though Prime may think I'm angry with him, I hated what I did…to the both of you honestly…. I had to keep composure." Prowl admitted. "So I got mean. I'm sorry…when I can't keep myself composed I filter through Starscream…. Sometimes I Project his current mood."

"Battle computer?" Jazz asked.

"Had it removed." He said calmly. "Starscream took it out for me." He shrugged. "I have to help the Decepticons now, that doesn't mean I'm going to give them 110% like I did the Autobots." Prowl smiled.

Jazz nodded as his optics began to sink. "Stay with me Jazz you need to Drink this energon. I need you to remain online please." Prowl said lifting up the cube.

Jazz tried to sit up but couldn't. Lifting his head Prowl supported him and offered him the cube and he drank again. Prowl smiled and put a hand to his helm. "The hatchlings are so fond of you. I thought perhaps you would refuse integration."

"Hatchlin's were not part of the war." Jazz coughed. "They're kids." His lips frowned.

"Soundwave really cares for you." Prowl said calmly. "He barely leaves your side." Prowl smiled. "He tends to his children and then returns to you. You and those hatchlings divide his time." Prowl reached up pushing a helm plate back slightly on Jazz's helm. "I think you like him too." Prowl ventured.

"He was a slave too." Jazz uttered. "Ta Megatron."

Prowl nodded. "Yes I know I was there for Ratbat's berth. Starscream isn't fond of his brother's choice of consort because of Ratbat." Prowl shrugged. "Thundercracker is seeing Ratbat's sire."

"Dreadwing?" Prowl murmured. "Though I can't say I was pleased when I heard barricade was Ravage's sire. It's odd having a coded relative so close and not be able to tell them." Jazz blinked. "I also had a talk with forerunner, but it was long before you came to us." He said us in such a way that meant the Decepticons.  Prowl decided a change of subject was in order. "How are you liking it here?"

"What do the human's call this Stockholm syndrome?" Jazz coughed a great deal more. "I think-" he rolled slightly coughing hard. "I got that." 

Prowl helped him lean up and he checked his vents for clogging. "No this is not that…. because you're empathizing with his enslavement. You're not simply giving in because you have no choice." Prowl smiled allowing Jazz to rest back again. "It's alright to love him." Prowl opened his fore arm and pulled out a few tools and began to work on a spot on Jazz's neck.

"Can't tell him." Jazz mustered out in a wheeze. "Couldn't say it."

"He already knows I assure you." Prowl said picking up another tool as he began to toy around. "he reads you constantly or at least tries to keep you at the fore of his mind like his children."

"What're you doing?" Jazz coughed.

"Removing the compliance collar so the nanites can get to your throat." He stated calmly. "You're really not in any condition to move, and I don't think you will anyway." Prowl smiled gently. 

Jazz nodded.  _Wish you'd come back._  His mind plead for Soundwave as his optics began to close, he was very tired. As long as he'd known Prowl he would rather have been in Soundwave's presence. Perhaps that was the slave coding, and perhaps that was his spark.

As Prowl finally removed the black collar and set it aside, he put his hand on Jazz's helm a moment content he was asleep and turned to regulate his ventilator. Soundwave entered into the room. "Status?" He asked quietly knowing Jazz was soundly in recharge.

"The nanites are doing their job, they will move to his neck soon and begin scrubbing." Prowl stood looking at Soundwave. "I recommend sedating him for it…it may not be the most comfortable experience." He looked at Soundwave with a smile. "And if he goes through it…by association, from what I've seen, so will you. He's going to project hard to you."

Soundwave nodded. "Statement: Agreed." He looked at the berth with a quiet reverence.

"I told him it was ok to love you." Prowl turned to Soundwave. "It's alright for you to love him back you know." He smiled giving Soundwave's arm a pat. "He does love you…I've known him a long time and he's never…spoken of anyone so well as he speaks of you and those sparklings. I thought you should know."

"Statement: Code."

Prowl shook his head. "It's not the code Soundwave." He laughed softly. "he cares of his own Volition and I think you know that as well as I." Prowl moved to the door. "I'll be back in a little while I need to get the chemicals to sedate him." He moved to the doorway.

Exiting into the hallway Prowl motioned the door closed at the door panel and moved down the hallway. "So?" Starscream pressed up from adjacent the hallway to his side.

"You owe me 50 credits." Prowl said matter-of-fact-ly.

"Our credits are pooled." Starscream muttered.

Prowl shook his finger. "Most of our credits are pooled, I have another account." He looked up to the seeker.

"What for?" Starscream rolled his optics.

"Putting away some of it incase we decide to become creators." He said Proudly. "Which you did not think of first." He wiggled a finger at the seeker.

Starscream grabbed his arm and twisted him around pushing him up against the hallway wall. "Has it been on your mind? Creation I mean."

"I don't let you see everything I think about Starscream." He murmured softly.

Starscream licked his lips and kissed the cruiser before picking him up and tossing him over his shoulder. "Starscream!" Prowl protested. "What the slag! Put me down immediately!"

"We're going to start right now." Starscream laughed softly. "Keep struggling if you like …I like it when you struggle." Prowl than went stiff as a board. "Oh you're no fun." Starscream sneered.

"We best make it quick." Prowl muttered. "I have to go back and sedate Jazz before the nanites start in on his neck." He put his helm in his hands and just let himself be carried over the seeker's shoulder. 

"I adore you my little ground pounder." The seeker said in such a sing-songy way that it made Prowl embarassed. He put a hand over his optics and shook his head, but could not help the smile smearked all over his face. 

* * *

 

To be continued


	8. into gear...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “Under torture you are as if under the dominion of those grasses that produce visions. Everything you have heard told, everything you have read returns to your mind, as if you were being transported, not toward heaven, but toward hell. Under torture you say not only what the inquisitor wants, but also what you imagine might please him, because a bond (this, truly, diabolical) is established between you and him ... These things I know, Ubertino; I also have belonged to those groups of men who believe they can produce the truth with white-hot iron. Well, let me tell you, the white heat of truth comes from another flame.”   
> ― Umberto Eco, The Name of the Rose

Optimus winced but held in his screams. He silenced his vocalizer and forced himself not to make a sound beyond a grunt. The whip lashed out again, and again at his back strut and tore through his armor. He tensed in the binds that held him securely in place. His back tensed as another strap flayed open his dorsal armor exposing sensor nodes and energon lines.

"I ask you again; What did you tell them?" He demanded. "I order you to tell me." The whip cracked again and his shoulder armor split down the side, some of it sheering off to the ground. Megatron strode up to him still holding the whip in his hands. "tell me or I will offline you." Megatron grit out through sealed dentals his clawed hands digging into the seam in the dorsal armor that was spit. He didn't sound like he was lying, this injustice he was feeling was spark deep.

"I told them not to go to the record houses." Optimus coughed softly energon flowing from his lip as it came out of his damaged helm. "I told them to stay strong, recruit." He murmured in a panted breath.

"How did you tell them those things? I specifically told you what to say!" Megatron growled.

"You didn't tell me I could not send another message. You told me to send yours, and I did. You did not say that it was the only one I could send." He groaned and lifted his body in the restraints. "You didn't make a specific order." He groaned. "So I sent your message as ordered." His spark broke at the honesty. "And I sent my own."

Megatron nodded. "I will ensure that it does not happen again." He murmured and stepped back to his position beyond. He gave the whip a testing crack and smirked when Optimus flinched physically.

Ironhide stood looking away. "Can you not stomach it Ironhide? Are your tanks too weak?" Megatron asked turning his helm to his other slave. He was beyond livid.

"Fresh energon makes my tank churn." He muttered calmly with a knowing nod."Though I will be fine."

Megatron smirked and lifted the whip cracking it in the air before cracking it across Optimus' back one last time. "Take him down and return him to his room." He shook his helm. "He's not to bee seen by anyone."

"Is there anything else, or should I leave him there?" Ironhide turned to face Megatron. He was trying to keep an even expression.

"Clean him up, I'll send a medic for him later." Megatron turned to Ironhide. "I'll see you tonight in the main chambers." He smirked. "We have company coming."

"Company?" Ironhide took the whip as Megatron handed it to him and rolled it up. "I will bring your polish and make sure you're presentable." He nodded.

"Bring enough for you as well…with Orion damaged you'll have to stand in his place for tonight." Megatron thumbed over his lips softly and leaned in taking a soft kiss. "and you'll spend the night with me." He smiled. "We'll pick up where we left off the last time."

Ironhide rumbled darkly. "I look forward to it my lord." Ironhide handed the whip to the nearest Vehicon and turned to Optimus. "I will see you tonight." He said turning away moving to the Prime. He started to cut down the restraints that held Optimus up off the ground.

With his arms released he clattered to the floor, torso down, legs splayed. His body was numb but he was online. "Going to go into stasis lock?" Ironhide asked softly leaning down pulling the ties from his wrist joints.

Optimus only shook his helm no. He didn't much look at Ironhide at all. He just stared blankly out. He had done the right thing, but at what cost?

 

* * *

 

Magnus leaned back in his chair. "Alright." He nodded. "What was the plan?"

Wheeljack turned his own chair at the meeting table around to face everyone including their new comers. "Sounwave is a telepath. We thought we could free Jazz if we got them separated." He pointed to the screen behind the table. "The det-cords and bombs were placed before Jazz and Sounwave returned to Crystal City." He said calmly.

"Why before?" An orange femme asked softly.

"Well Moonracer if you'd read his file you'd know Sounwave is a telepath." Wheeljack nodded. "If I had planted it while he was in the palace on planet he would have known I was there." Wheeljack turned back to the screen. "So the bomb goes off without a hitch. Two mini-cons exit a window nearest the explosion and a drone is seen soon after exiting with two more." He moves the footage. "Soundwave is next coming out a click before returning inside. Soundwave leaves the building carrying Jazz and a mini-con." He shakes his head. 

Magnus' chair turned. "I know it doesn't look like it because Jazz is so burnt, but in these pictures he's got a compliance collar around his neck. Magnus stood and crossed to the main screen pointing at the image as it continued to play.

The pink femme stood and moved to the screen. "Look at him." She stated.

"Who Jazz?" Wheeljack murmured.

"No no…Soundwave…look at how he's doting over him… carrying him checking his vitals." She shook her head. "Are we sure he didn't go back in that building on his own accord for the youngling?"

"That's absurd this is Jazz we're talking about." Springer stated moving to the screen. "Elita look I know you want to help but that's a bit of a stretch don't you think?"

Elita turned and looked at Magnus and shook her helm. "No I do not. Not with what I know of him…those are children…hatchlings…barely a vorn old. If they are innocent of war he would save them." She turned taking her place at the table. "What we need now is answers." She said softly. "Optimus' message said recon, so I believe that should be a top priority."

"Agreed." Magnus nodding taking his seat between Elita and Springer. "There are five senior officers in Megatron's army. Starscream, Sounwave, Prowl, Shockwave, and this new medic CMO he's taken on Triage."

"What do we know about them?" Brawn asked.

"Well from what we gathered." Moonracer stated. "The only two that are really truly accessible are Triage and Shockwave." She nodded. "Intel shows us that Triage has a thing for gambling, and he likes the femme tables at the newly opened six lasers the most. He can be seen there almost every other orn unless Megatron needs his medical expertise."

"Gotta thing for femmebots." Springer nodded. "We can use that."

"Yes we can." Elita said calmly. "He likes blue and orange the most from what we can gather of the vids."

"Get a communication to Arcee get her in here and tell her we have an assignment." Magnus ordered to Brawn who turned to his console to send the communiqué.

"And Shockwave?" Moonracer asked. "What will we do about him?"

Magnus chewed his lip. "He's in need of a new head of Security." He stated. "If we can get one of our people in that position it will put them in a good position to not only see a lot, but get a lot of intel." He nodded. "And with Megatron's large gathering of the newly appointed Council members in six solar-cycles, we need to get someone in their fast."

"How do we know they'll be able to go to this shindig?" Springer asked.

"Shockwave doesn't really go out without a full security detail." Elita answered. "He never has."

Bumblebee beeped from the shadows and pressed off the wall into the light. He was electing himself to go as the informant.

"No Bumblebee, though I admire your courage to do so, you're too loyal, I'm not saying you're green or anything, but we need you here. They'd know you and know you were planted." He nodded. "We need someone who the cons don't recognize straight off. Someone who will make shockwave feel…"

"Someone who can keep their mind on their job and not interfere with his or as too many questions." Elita nodded.

"I know just the Mech." Wheeljack stood. "Give me a Cycle to bring him in, and it's go time." He looked to Bumblebee. "Come with me kid I've got somewhere for you to go…"

* * *

 

Optimus slumped against the berth with a moan. "You brought this upon yourself. How could you do such a thing?" Ironhide shook his helm. "Primus you're torn all to shreds." He sighed.

"He loves you." Optimus murmured. "And me, but you …he really loves you." Optimus said in a soft monotone. "Why does he do this if he loves so much?"

"I can't answer that. I know that he loves us." Ironhide nodded. "I feel it when we merge." He shook his helm and grabbed a rag moving it to a water basin he dipped it inside and rung it out.

"Do you love him?" Optimus asked.

Ironhide said nothing and began to rub at the plates of Optimus' back. "You do." Optimus stated blankly; numbly.

"I've been here a long time Optimus…. I've been here every time he returned, and every time he went to war." He nodded. "I traveled with him on the Nemesis for a while." He uttered calmly. "We don't talk about it."

"Why?" Optimus asked as his optics pitched up.

Ironhide ran the rag over the darkening energon on his armor. "I don't agree with what he does, but as a person, and individual I have no issue with him." Ironhide shrugged. "If it could be different it would be." He shook his helm. "But it's futile to dream like that. I want him, I have him, the state of it has nothing to do with it."

Optimus shook his helm. "Yes it does Ironhide." He tried to sit up but the black mech held him back. "You're just suffering, you're giving in to his delusion."

"And you refuse to accept that you're a slave." Ironhide muttered; he had not denied the claim against him. Which Optimus felt was positive: the matrix saw pain in Ironhide, but it didn't reveal much more than the ghost.

"Open your torso." Ironhide said calmly.

"Why?" Optimus asked defensively.

"Because I need to make sure the energon isn't dripping into your chamber." Ironhide said calmly holding the rag up to run along the windscreens.

Optimus' torso cracked open and Ironhide was able to see within the deep torso compartment. He blinked and nodded. "Seal back up." He murmured. "Get some recharge, a medic will be here soon." He said calmly almost blankly. "You'll need it." He nodded and put the energon stained rag down in the basin before rinsing his hands and moving out the door.

Optimus groaned but let recharge take him into oblivion.

* * *

 

He stood looking her over. "Sorry about the paint." Magnus uttered. "He'll really be baited if we paint your pink parts orange." He nodded as he dipped down running the airbrush over the backs of her taped off legs.

"Could have just used the nanties." She uttered. "This takes so long." Arcee rolled her helm to the side.

"I know but he wants a pretty femme…custom job will get his attention." Magnus put a metal tip in his mouth and unscrewed the tip on his compressor hose and set it aside before putting it aside and affixing the new tip. "He wants someone without a scratch." He nodded.

"What else do I need to know." She asked.

"I'm giving you 10,000 credits to take with you. You'll go to his table, sit down beside him if you can, and play against him. I need you to loose, tease him, do what you have to. Get friendly with him." He smirked. "and what's your cover?"

"My name is Gatejumper." She said calmly, a name paying homage to both of her lost partners. "I'm new to the area, I'd been staying on moon base two as a refugee, but never took a side in the war. I love to be polished and clean." She nodded.

"Where'd you get your custom paint job?" He asked role-playing.

"Oh this? Oh I just had it tossed together at the Energon baths, if you pay enough they can do just about anything at the energon baths." She smirked.

"Smile for me Gatejumper." He laughed.

Arcee put on her smile. Magnus just laughed at her. "Come on you've got to seduce this mech."

"I know that." Arcee nodded. "Doesn't mean I have to like it, and if Springer came in here and caught me making googly eyes at you he'd offline me. Besides I know what I'm doing."

With a chuckle Magnus just went on not giving all of what she said a response. "Push your magnetic field into his…you're just trying to get invited to the council party." He laughed.

"I know…" She looked down.

"If it goes to far do you know how to stop him without compromising your cover?" He asked.

"I have a few ideas but I don't plan to stop him no matter what he does."

"Arcee I don't want him raping you." Magnus stood up seriousness in his optics. "You will not do this without consent."

"If fragging one con will get Optimus back." She turned her head. "I'd frag two with consent." She nodded. "Just to make sure." He put his hand on her arm and they lingered in silence as Magnus put the finishing touched on her paint.

* * *

 

Bumblebee shifted slightly; he hated being repainted for work. He sighed and rubbed his arms against the black and orange paint he'd been saddled with for the day. He turned looking around. This bar was in the dregs of Vos, and he wasn't a seeker, and often in Vos; if you weren't a seeker, you weren't welcome.

"Identification." The guard stated coldly his wings towering up over his frame.

Bumblebee pulled his I-Dent card and slid it trough. It showed his custom paint colors and his helm, it also showed a name and a Decepticon faction emblem. "Welcome Goldbug." The bouncer said opening the door. "Enjoy your stay."

Bumblebee entered into the bar slowly and found his target right away. The larger, older mech sat at the bar and motioned to the bartender for another. "With more oil this time brother." He said darkly.

Bumblebee walked up and sat down and buzzed and blipped a few commands for his order. "Problem with your vocalizer kid?" The mech asked.

Bumblebee nodded and buzzed softly. He put out his hand. "Goldbug huh? Not a very creative name kid." He nodded. "Names RoadBuster." He smirked. "Heard an old friend was sending ya over to speak ta me. Ironic how yer not speaking." Roadbuster chuckled as the bartender sliped him his energon and he took it and downed it in one.

Bumblebee's drink arrived and he nodded slipping his credits onto the table and took it sipping it. "So let's go get friendly." He smirked. "What'daya say? Hey Hacker you got a private room for me and the pretty one?" He put his arm around Bumblebee suggestively and the mech's optics opened wide. This had not been part of what Wheeljack has asked him to do. He didn't flinch though.

"Yeah o'course anything for you Buster." He nodded and slid a card key down the bar. "Room three…I'll make sure there's a jar o' high grade in there for ya, seeing as you saved my shop and all. And don't go too hard on the kid he's pretty young looking."

"You got it Hack, and don't worry I won't be too rough with him." He smirked and turned putting his lips near Bumblebee's audio. "For show kid." He whispered. "We can talk more upstairs without being overheard." He planted a soft kiss on his audio just for appearances sake; at least four mechs and one femme were watching them. Seeing Roadbuster turn to them and sneer they appeared to go back to doing what they had been before.

Bumblebee gave a sage nod and took the hand of the other mech. Roadbuster grabbed the room key and bumblebee's partially drank energon and moved to the lift.

Once upstairs in the room Bumblebee hesitantly sat on the berth. "Not been to a house of ill-repute before I see…don't know why they sent someone so green." Roadbuster shook his helm.

Bumblebee beeped and buzzed. "Ah yes you are most definitely my type kid." He smirked. "But I know you're here on business." He folded his arms. "What's the job?"

Bumblebee un-spaced a Data-pad and lifted it up to the mech who crossed the room taking it in his hand. He flitted through it and lowered it slowly optics filled with doubt. "Are you slagging kidding me?"

Bumblebee shook his helm.

"Primus." Roadbuster grabbed the bottle of high grade and thumbed the lid open before drinking from the bottle. "I can do it…. but slag…Shockwave do you all have a death wish?"

"Needs security officer." Bumblebee forced out with a lot of static. "Worth it…to get to Prime." He grabbed his throat and coughed softly.

"Don't hurt yourself kid." He said and sat down. "Give me all the info…we need to be up here a few cycles for it to be believable." He shrugged. "We'll scratch each other's paint before you go…and you'll leave first." Bumblebee nodded slowly. "Now tell me all you know about Shockwave."

Bumblebee nodded and touched the data-pad pulling up the file.

* * *

 

He was winning finally. All his credits were coming back to him two fold. "Ah ha yes a'nother round." He smiled. "It'll be tha death o'me, but it's a streak I dun-not want ta break."

"I'm out." The other mech who'd been playing, and subsequently lost his credits to the devilsh medic, made his way out.

The femme dealer started to shuffle a new deck of cards when Triage was alerted to movement at his side. "What are'ya do-" he stopped.

"My I join you?" She asked quietly. The blue femme with orange trim before him was lovely and her dark orange optics caught him completely by surprise.

"O'course love o'course." He gestured to a nearby seat. "Please…feel free to join me."

"Another drink Triage?" A serving bot asked.

"Yes I'll-ah have high-grade straight up…and the little lovely at my side may have whatever she likes."

Arcee giggled. "I'll have what he's having." She feigned a blush and Triage smiled at her reaching out to touch her chin.

As the serving bot left he smiled. "And what's yer name pretty thing?"

She blushed again. "Ah they call me Gatejumper." She smiled.

"Oh a pretty little thing with an even prettier name." He turned to the table. "Have'n ya played this game before lovely?" he asked.

Arcee took a chance to lean into him. "No." She pouted. "Could you show me?" She asked and kept a tight hold on the crook of his arm.

"O'course I could." He smiled devilishly at her and gave her orange face frame plates a soft pet with is finger. Turning back to the dealer he finally spoke. "Doubledealer if ya will."

The dealer began to deal cards.

* * *

 

to be continued

 


End file.
